After finding out that they were to lose CC Sabathia for two starts, the Yankees definitely needed a win, if for no other reason that spirit lifting. They got that, thanks to some timely hitting by Eric Chavez and Robinson Cano, but there’s no way this win lifted the team spirits.
In the fifth inning, the Yankees were up 2-1 and Casey Kotchman was batting. He ripped a ball that bounced once on its way through the infield and unfortunately, it found Andy Pettitte’s leg. He fell to the ground, not even attempting to go for the ball. Manager Joe Girardi and staff came out to check on Pettitte and he apparently convinced them to let him stay in the game, though he didn’t last long. After throwing one pitch, a strike, he was lifted from the game. Later on, we found out that Andy has a fractured left ankle and he will miss at least six weeks. Cody Eppley and Clay Rapada came in to attempt to finish out the fifth, but couldn’t. Freddy Garcia eventually got the final out of the inning, but not before the Indians took the lead, 3-2.
The Yankees went down quietly in their ensuing half-inning, but they were able to strike in the sixth. Alex Rodriguez looped a ball down the right field line for a leadoff double and Robinson Cano followed with a two-run home run to left field on a pitch that didn’t look like it would yield a homer. The Yankees added an insurance run via Eric Chavez in the eighth, and Rafael Soriano came in for the save. Soriano, however, did not make it look easy as he loaded the bases and walked in a run before untucking his shirt and notching the heart-wrenching save.
The Yankees swept the Indians and that’s great, but losing Sabathia to a groin injury (even if it’s only two starts) and Pettitte to an ankle injury for an extended period of time is disheartening to say the least. Adam Warren and Freddy Garcia will be bumped to the big league rotation and will need to step up in order to keep the Yankees’ strong play going.
Starting tomorrow, the White Sox are in town for a four game series, including Old Timer’s Day at the Stadium.
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