The Yankees on my birthday

Today, I hit a quarter century. The big 2-5. I share a birthday with current Yankees Andy Pettitte and Eduardo Nunez, as well as former Yankees Wade Boggs and Ramiro Mendoza. The Yankees play the Nationals tonight, and for the second year in a row, I’ll be in attendance for a game on my birthday. Starting with 1987, I’m going to take a look at how the Yankees did on my birthday each year through 2011. Games after the jump…

1987: According to my late grandfather, June 15, 1987, was hot as all hell and he was on a picket line as a carpenter’s union delegate when he found out that I, his first/only grandson, was born. Shortly after my time of birth, around 1 in the afternoon, the Yankees put a smack down on the O’s, winning 9-2. The Yanks didn’t hit any homers, but every starting hitter except for SS Wayne Tolleson reached base and Pat Clements pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief for the save.

1988: My first birthday was not kind to the Bombers, as they lost 8-3 in Fenway Park. Dave Winfield (solo HR) and Rickey Henderson (1-4, 2 RBI) provided the only offense for New York as Ellis Burks (4-5, 4 RBI) led the way for Boston. Yankee starter Al Leiter lasted just 2.1 innings, surrendering 5 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks (no strikeouts).

1989: The Yanks lost again on my birthday in ’89, falling 3-2 to the O’s in 10 innings. Lance McCullers gave up the walk off hit, a single to Rene Gonzales, scoring catcher Mickey Tettleton.

1990: New decade, same result as the last two years. The Yanks fell 5-4 to the Blue Jays, giving up four runs in the 8th. Future Yankee David Wells pitched well for the Jays that day, going 7 innings and striking out 8.

1991: Another birthday, another loss! Another future Yankee, Kevin Brown, pitched for the opposition (the Texas Rangers). Roberto Kelly left the tying run on third to end the game.

1992: Again, the Yankees lost by one, this time to the Red Sox, 1-0. The teams combined for just nine hits (NY: 6, Bos: 3). However, one of Boston’s hits was a homer by Phil Plantier, and that was all Boston needed thanks to eight shutout innings by Jeff Dopson.

1993: Finally! A win! Unlike their meeting a year earlier, this one was a slugfest. The Yanks outlasted Boston, 9-7, thanks to an 8 run fifth when they were down 5-0. In that 8-run frame, Mike Stanley led off with a solo homer. Paul O’Neill followed with a single, and then two outs were recorded. With two outs, the Yankees got four more hits, two walks, and scored on an error. Boston added two runs in the eighth to make it 8-7, but Bernie Williams homered in the bottom half of the frame to give the Bombers an insurance run.

1994: The Yankees lost this one 8-4 to the O’s. Don Mattingly did his part, going 2-4 w/3 RBI, but a horrible outing by Bob Wickman (0.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R) cost the Yanks the game. Jaime Moyer started this game for Baltimore.

1995: Detroit hammered the Yankees, winning 9-2 in Tiger Stadium. Yankee starter Brian Boehringer walked 7 (!) in 4 innings and gave up 4 hits, including a homer, en route to giving up 5 runs.

1996: The Yanks were trounced again, this time losing 10-3 to the Indians at home. For the second year in a row, Brian Boehringer got smacked around on my birthday, giving up 6 runs in five innings. Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, and Carlos Baerga all homered for the Tribe.

1997: The Yankees were shutout by the Mets at home on my 10th birthday. Andy Pettitte started for the Yanks and gave up three runs in the first and two runs in the seventh. The Yankees matched the Mets’ hit total with 9, but couldn’t score any runs. They left ten runners on and were 0-11 w/RISP.

1998: Of all the years you’d think they’d've won on my birthday, they lost…7-4 to the O’s in Baltimore. David Wells and Mike Stanton combined to give up seven runs in 6.2 innings. Ricky Ledee and Jorge Posada homered for the Yanks, while Joe Carter and Rafael Palmiero left the yard for Baltimore.

1999: The Yankees finally got another win, besting the Rangers 6-2. They got all their runs in one inning, the bottom of the second. Down 1-0, the Yanks sent ten runners to the plate and got runs on an RBI single by Chili Davis, a double by Luis Sojo (1 RBI), a wild pitch, and a three run homer from Derek Jeter. David Cone pitched seven strong for the win.

2000: Another blowout loss for the Yankees, as they fell 12-3 to the White Sox. The south siders scored in every inning but the second and third and score multiple runs in fifth, seventh, eighth, and ninth. Magglio Ordonez and Paul Konerko hit homers for the Sox.

2001: The Yanks got revenge for the 1997 loss to the Mets, winning 5-4 in Shea Stadium. Ramiro Mendoza picked up the win in relief and Mariano Rivera got his 20th save of the year. Andy Pettitte apparently exited with an injury and Shane Spencer homered.

2002: …and the Mets payed the Yankees back with an 8-0 win in Queens the very next year. Shawn Estes (!) was dominant, striking out 11 Yankee batters in 7 innings. Estes and his battery mate, Mike Piazza, both homered off of Yankee starter Roger Clemens.

2003: Yanks win! Down 2-1 in the sixth, the Yankees hung four runs on the board on a two run double by Robin Ventura, a run scoring single by Hideki Matsui, and an RBI double by Ruben Sierra. Mike Mussina threw eight solid innings and Mo picked up the save in a perfect ninth inning.

2004: Back-to-back wins! In Arizona, the Bombers beat the D-Backs, 4-2. The Yankees put 12 runners on base (7 H, 5 BB) against Brandon Webb and scored three runs on him. Jose Contreras struck out 6 in 6.1 innings for the win.

2005: Walk off! Down 5-2 in the 8th, the Yankees scored twice on RBI hits by Hideki Matsui and Ruben Sierra to cut the lead to one. With two outs in the ninth and two runners on, Jorge Posada hit a ball to deep right field that scored Gary Sheffield to tie the game. They would’ve won then and there, but Alex Rodriguez was out at home behind Sheff and the game went into extras. After Mo threw his second inning in the top of the tenth, the Yankees won on a walk off, two run homer by Jason Giambi.

2006: The winning streak ended as Cliff Lee and the Indians beat Mike Mussina and the Yankees 8-4 in the Bronx. Lee got the win despite giving up three homers (all solo shots) to Bernie Williams, A-Rod, and Melky Cabrera.

2007: Another loss to the Mets. Another SHUTOUT loss to the Mets. The boys from Queens bested the Bronx Bombers 2-0 in this game as Oliver Perez out-dueled Roger Clemens. I was in attendance for this game.

2008: My 21st birthday was a blessing (13-0 win) and a curse for the Yankees: This was the day that Chien-Ming Wang busted his foot crossing home plate. A-Rod, Posada, Jeter, Melky, and Matsui all hit homers.

The Yankees did NOT play on on my birthday in 2009. Jerks.

2010: Behind seven innings and seven strikeouts from CC Sabathia, the Yankees beat the Phillies and Roy Halladay (6 R!). Nick Swisher, Mark Teixiera, and Curtis Granderson all homered.

2011: With yours truly in attendance, birthday boy Eduardo Nunez went deep twice and the Yankees hammered Derek Holland and the Rangers. Ramiro Pena also went yard, and Mark Teixiera added two dingers for good measure.

Follow Me On Twitter