That was a winnable game

(Hola. I’m trying to get back to doing these regularly, I promise)

I know games started by Sergio Mitre are not generally considered winnable, but tonight’s game was.

In the eighth inning, especially, when the Yankees had the bases loaded with no one out, they looked poised to at least tie the game, if not take the league.

No, your pitching staff giving up five earned runs is not a good thing, but that said, it’s not the abhorrent blowout that last night was. When you have an offense like the Yankees, and you’re facing an emergency starter and the rest of that team’s bullpen, five runs should not be Mt. Olympus.

There is one glaring stat from tonight, however:

Randy Winn left seven men on base.

I know Randy Winn is not Curtis Granderson, and until he returns the Yankees are in a bit of a spot, but anyone who’s played on San Francisco’s offense (except, perhaps Pablo Sandoval) in the past three seasons can’t really be expected to put up tremendous numbers.

That said, in the eighth inning, Winn didn’t have to get a hit. All he had to do for the Yankees to tie the game was hit the ball out of the infield–or even to the right spot on the ground.

Instead, Winn popped out, and a tremendous play by Magglio Ordoñez on a pitch that Derek Jeter crushed kept the score at 5-4 Detroit.

Despite the loss, certain (happy) things should not be without mention.

First, David Robertson had what was probably his best outing of the season.

Second, Joba Chamberlain looked like his 2007 self, hitting 98 on the gun and striking out the side in the eighth inning.

Tomorrow, the Yankees will look to Javier Vazquez to stop the bleeding (#sentencesyoudontexpecttoread), and the Yankees will attempt to avoid their first three game skid of the season.