Let’s look at these three game that were just played between New York and Toronto.
Friday, June 4th: The Jays beat up A.J. Burnett, pretty good, getting six earned runs in six innings against the Yankees #2 starter. And, New York only manages 5 hits in 30 At Bats against Toronto’s pitching. Yes, that’s a BA of .167 – which, ain’t good…ever. Yankees lose this one, 6-1.
Saturday, June 5th: The Yankees had a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 7th inning in this game – but, Andy Pettitte got touched up for a solo homer in that frame which allowed the Jays to tie the score. And, it stayed that way until the 14th inning when Chad Gaudin blows it for New York. Again, the Yankees bats were MIA in this contest. In total, New York was 8 for 47 in this one against the Jays pitching. And, that’s a BA of .170 – which is just as bad as it was for the Yankees in the first game of this series. Yankees lose this one, 3-2 in fourteen.
Sunday, June 6th: The Yankees were losing this game, two-zip, heading into the 8th inning. And, then, the Jays gifted four runs to New York in that frame. How? Here’s how the Yankees “offense” went in the 8th inning: Batter hit by a pitch followed by another batter hit by a pitch. Runners on first and second, no outs. Double – one run scores – and now it’s runners on second and third with no outs. Next is a strikeout and an IBB. Based loaded, one out. Then the Jays wild pitch in a run. Another strike out – runners on second and third, two outs. Single – two runs score. So, in total, the Yankees score four – and it’s greatly assisted by two HBP and a WP. In any event, New York now takes a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the 8th inning. But, here comes Joba Chamberlain who almost chokes it up allowing hits to “sluggers” Jose Molina and Fred Lewis. One run does score. However, thanks to Mo Rivera locking down the ninth, the Yankees squeeze out a run-one win – again, assisted by two HBP and a WP in a key inning (late in the game).
All told, over these three games, the Yankees batters were not very impressive, at all. And, they were spanked by the Jays – and barely avoided getting swept (if not for the Jays pitchers getting wild in the 8th inning today).
On the bright side, the Yankees next six games are against the Orioles and Astros. There should be at least four wins in there, somewhere, for the Yankees, no?