It feels like the Yankees always look terrible in Tropicana Field. We all hoped that would end entering this huge series, but it didn’t. Quite simply, when things could go wrong, they went wrong.
CC Sabathia did not look sharp today, but he doesn’t have to be sharp to be good. He gave the team their best start in a long time, but still struggled in doing so. His troubles this afternoon began in the second inning when fly balls were blooped and groundballs inched through the Yankee defense. Lately, it seems that no matter where the Yankees align their defenses, the opposing offense will find a way to drop a flyball or groundball for a single. It cost Sabathia his first run of the game. The second run came off a solo homerun to BJ Upton in the next inning, before the Rays scored their third run with a walk, a stolen base, another bad-BABIP groundball, and a groundout RBI. It was that kind of game.
On the other hand, the Yankees had to hit the ball extra hard to score runs, it took a Robsinson Cano double, an Alex Rodriguez single, a linedrive sac fly from Eric Chavez, a Raul Ibanez triple, and a Russell Martin comebacker off James Shields to score just 3 runs in the 4th inning. The four hits they had in this inning made up the majority of their offense. There was just one other hit in this game, a huge single off the right field wall in the Top of the 7th from Martin.
Sabathia was able to get the Yankees through 7.0 innings despite his struggles with soft hit singles. It was a 3-3 games in the 8th when David Robertson got to the mound, who allowed 3 groundball singles for the go-ahead winning run of the game. Nothing is going the Yankees way, and the only thing the Yankees can be blamed for today is the absolute lack of offense. Although they had quite a few line drives caught, the quality of their at bats were only slightly better than this weekend.
Fortunately, Alex Rodriguez had some quality at bats, and Curtis Granderson made a pinch hit appearance in the bottom of the 9th. With just a one game lead in the AL East, the Yankees are no longer in the position to nurse their players. Granderson and Arod need to be in the lineup tomorrow, and holding out Mark Teixeira until next series has to be reevaluated. And of course Cano came up limping on the play that cost them the game today, so who knows what the lineup will look like tomorrow.
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4 Responses to The Collapse Continues, Yanks Lose 4-3 to Rays
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TIQ IQ
How exactly did Alex Rodriguez contribute? The two might girly girl shots that on was fielded correctly the second was misplayed, yet called a hit. The mighty A-Rod unable to hit a ball to the outfield.
I agree on Arod. He looks to need considerable batting practice. I would put my money on Nix or Nunie for several more days.
I’m gonna break my TV and send the Yankees the bill pretty soon. UGH!
won’t you be sorry when the rally finally happens, the Yanks start winnin’, and all Yankee dreams come true? or when the rapture occurs, and you need information when the next departure will be? you’ll surely be sorry then.