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Yankees take a pounding

For more stories by Kent Summer, check out 3rdand10.com

This was a Tuesday night, but I was under the impression that I was watching the Chiefs-Broncos game. Something just wasn’t right (and now is when I stun you with my amazing statistical recall). Maybe it was the fact that the Yankees used eight pitchers through nine innings or the fact that starter Mike Mussina did not even make it through three innings. Of course the game did last for 4 hours and 16 minutes, coming within 360 seconds of becoming the longest 9-inning game ever played. And there was that whole thing about how scoring nine runs could fail in beating a team 22 games out of first place, while that team scored two touchdowns, made two extra-points and kicked a field goal to beat the first place team.
The eight Yankee pitchers that took the mound now have a combined ERA of 5.86 and they should be on their knees praising Craig Hansen. Hansen, a Red Sox reliever came in to pitch against Russ Adams in the 8th inning of the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader and gave up a sacrifice fly to Russ Adams to propel the Blue Jays to a 7-5 victory.

Derek Jeter started off the game for New York by taking the second pitch to left field for a leadoff homer. His jumpstart to the offense was quickly forgotten by all when the Yankees pitchers couldn’t get the job done.

Mike Mussina started for the Yankees, this being just his second start since injuring his elbow a couple of weeks ago. Baltimore’s leadoff hitter Bernie Castro doubled to start the game for the Orioles and was driven home by Jay Gibbons four batters later, to score the first run of the game.

Mussina continued to get ahead of batters but the Orioles hitters fought back, scoring 5 runs in 1.2 innings. The Moose struck out Luis Matos and David Newhan grounded out to Robinson Cano to start the second inning but the rest of his pitches were very hittable. Baltimore hit his changeups very well and that showed when they scored 3 runs with 2 outs in the 2nd.  

Mussina’s arm didn’t appear to be bothering him but he just couldn’t place the ball, and to throw a strike he had to throw his pitches virtually right down the middle.

Although Baltimore is 22 games out they have no shortage of good hitters and the likes of Miguel Tejada, Melvin Mora, and Jay Gibbons will jump all over a pitcher that can’t hit his catcher’s mitt.

Gary Sheffield was the big bat in the Yankees lineup tonight as he had a multi-homer game, a two-run homerun and a grand slam to left field.

For the Orioles it was Melvin Mora who came up big at the plate driving in 5 and scoring 4, closely followed by Tejada (3 RBIs and 2 runs).

The Yankee pitchers could not find the strike zone and the Boss might soon be asking Mel Stottlemyre to take the mound instead of Al Leiter.

It was Leiter who took the loss in the game as he gave up three runs and thus inflating his bullpen ERA greatly with New York.

The Orioles totaled 14 hits on 17 runs, largely due to the 9 walks that New York surrendered with many of them coming on four straight balls. Felix Rodriguez didn’t help matters when he walked a run in with the bases loaded, proving his usual lack of control.

Bruce Chen wasn’t exactly stellar for Baltimore as he gave up 7 runs in 4 innings, but he didn’t need to be lights out as his team scored 17 runs throughout the entire game.

In a game in which the score and the lack of pitching will be scrutinized, we must look at one of the Yankee greats. Tuesday night further cemented Bernie Williams’ place in Yankee history as he passed Joe DiMaggio for 4th all-time on the Yankees hit list. Now sitting at 2215, and now looking ahead to Mickey Mantle’s 3rd spot on the list with 2415.

The six-time all-star who also won four straight gold gloves from 1997-2000 is undoubtedly one of the greatest men ever to put on the pinstripes. And not only has he lit up the city with his bat and glove but he is loved by all Yankees fans, and even people that don’t particularly care for his team.

He came up in 91′ to play 85 games for the organization. In those 85 games he accumulated 76 hits in 320 at bats for a .238 average. In the early nineties Williams was known as the gangly outfielder; he had big glasses, long skinny legs and was seen as a reservoir of untapped talent. That image of the young Bernie has stayed with fans forever and he has become a kind of cute little mascot for the city. Bernie can be placed in many great categories but one way to remember this great man is a Tino Martinez (possibly the most beloved men ever to play in pinstripes) with a guitar strapped to his back.

One reply on “Yankees take a pounding”

Bernie Williams bernie williams isn’t won of the most ‘beloved’ players in yankees history. jeter is much more liked than him

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