Yankees Make a Mess out West

Written by: Drew Sarver on 11th July 2009

Yankees Make a Mess out West | read this item

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NY Yankees	3	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	6	14	2
LA Angels	0	1	0	0	4	2	3	0	X	10	13	0

WP – Bulger (4-1) SV – Fuentes (25) LP – Melancon (0-1)

The Yankees are going to have make a decision soon on the immediate future of Joba Chamberlain. The Yankees young star imploded once again last night, lasting just 4 1/3 innings in a 10-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. To make matters worse, the Yankees had staked him to a 5-1 lead. Chamberlain wasn’t completely at fault though- the Yankees are still snake bitten in Anaheim. Errors by Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter and another poor relief outing from Brian Bruney all contributed to the “Mess out West“.

Chamberlain’s night started out in fine fashion. He struck out Chone Figgins to start the game and retired the side in order in the 1st inning on just 9 pitches. But a 29-pitch 2nd inning was a portend of things to come. He worked his way out of a 2-on, no-out jam in the 4th, but he wouldn’t be so lucky in the 5th.

Yankees killer Figgins reached on a bloop single and stole 2nd base, though replays showed he was out. One batter later, former Yankee Bobby Abreu roped a single to left to cut the Yankees lead to 5-2. After Abreu stole 2nd, clearly safe this time, another former Yankee Juan Rivera reached on A-Rod’s throwing error. Kendry Morales followed with a game tying 3-run blas,t and I mean blast, to dead center field. Joe Girardi finally gave Joba the heave ho after Mike Napoli doubled.

It meant another no-decision for Chamberlain, who has the ignominious record of the least amount of decisions by a pitcher in his first 29 big league starts. The Angels took the lead for good in the 6th on a Figgins RBI triple and another RBI single by Abreu. Both runs were charged to Mark Melancon, who had been recalled from Scranton earlier in the day.

Melky Cabrera’s RBI single in the 7th cut the deficit to one, but Bruney ran into more trouble after replacing Melancon in the bottom of the inning with one and two out. (The inning would have been over but Jeter, who had just gone into play defense, dropped a pop up.) Bruney walked Jeff Mathis and then gave up a 3-run home run to light hitting Erick Aybar. The Yankees put two aboard with two outs in the 9th, but Angels closer Brian Fuentes struck out Jorge Posada to end the game.

Things had started out promising in the 1st inning. Jeter lined the game’s first pitch past Joe Saunders head for a lead off single. Johnny Damon followed with a walk and two batters later, A-Rod singled in the game’s first run. Nick Swisher then lined a 2-run single to left for a 3-0 Yankees lead.

Jose Molina, making his first start since returning from the DL, Jeter, and Damon each singled in the 2nd to make it a 4-0 game and A-Rod belted his 15th home run of the season in the 5th for a 5-1 advantage.

Game Notes

Alex Rodriguez‘ home run gave him 568 in his career, one behind Rafael Palmiero for 10th place on the all-time list. This won’t be a passing of the torch. More like a passing of the syringe.

The Yankees still couldn’t beat the Angels despite the fact that Torii Hunter and Vlad Guerrero were each placed on the 15-day DL earlier in the day.

Jorge Posada caught a foul pop up, barehanded last night. Chone Figgins got in his way and Posada dropped his glove in the process. Posada caught the ball and then questioned home plate ump C.B. Buckner as to why interference wasn’t called on Figgins. For video of the play, check out My Pinstripes.

Andy Pettitte goes for the win today against righty Jered Weaver. It’s a nationally televised game on FOX, beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

Topics: Alex Rodriguez, Bobby Abreu, Brian bruney, Chone Figgins, Derek Jeter, Erick Aybar, joba chamberlain, Joe Saunders, Jorge Posada, Los Angeles Angels, mark melancon, Posada's barehanded catch, Yankees 7/10 recap, Yankees vs. Angels