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5/05/2013 05:02:00 PM
Gavin Ewbank
In dramatic fasion the Yankees failed to pull off a comeback against the Athletics in the series finale on perfect day for baseball at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Andy Pettitte made his first start since allowing 7 runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Astros last Monday and he couldn't seem to regain his form against the A's. Oakland made Pettitte work just as they did to Sabathia and Hughes, with Pettitte throwing 100 pitches in 5 innings, surrendering 4 runs on 4 hits, while walking 4 and striking out only 2.
"I think two starts is way too little a number of starts to make a big deal out of it," said the Yankees' manager. "If it goes on for a month, then obviously there is some concern."
"Everything has been great in my [bullpen sessions]. But something is going on in the games." Said Pettitte. "I can feel my release point floating around. You just know from the feel of your fingers, the ball is just not coming off right. It has been a long line time since I haven't had a feel for my pitches."
A throwing error by Robinson Cano is what put Oakland on the board first in the 3rd inning, but Cano was able to give the Yankees that run back in the bottom half of the 3rd when he singled to center field, scoring Brett Gardner to tie the game.
Oakland answered in the 4th when Luke Montz took Pettitte deep to start the inning and give the A's at 2-1 lead. Yoenis Cespedes added to the lead an innning later off Pettitte with a 2-run homerun into the visitors bullpen in left-center field. Pettitte would finish out the inning, as well as his day.
The Yankees were able to make a comeback in the 6th, when the Yanks worked a couple runners on base they had forced A's starter Dan Straily out of the game. Straily went 5 1/3 innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits, while walking 3 and striking out 4.
With runners on 1st and 2nd facing Jerry Blevins, Ichiro was able to line a double down the right field line to plate Cano and land Well on 3rd. After a Jayson Nix strikeout, Lyle Overbay came throught with a 2 run single to center field that scored both Wells and Ichiro to tie the game at 4-4.
But with Boone Logan pitching in the 8th, Josh Donaldson was able to take Logan deep to left field, bearly keeping the ball fair to give Oakland a 5-4 lead. That would prove to be the winning run, but not before the Yankees attempted another comeback in the 9th.
Brett Gardner batting with two-outs was able to keep the Yankees alive by singling to center, bringing up Cano. After a wild pitch allowed Gardner to advance to 2nd, the A's decided to intentionally walk Cano to bring up Wells with runners on 1st and 2nd with two away.
"I hated having to do it," said Balfour of issuing the walk. "I get two outs and a guy gets a single on a broken bat and, all of a sudden, there's a ball in the dirt and a base open.
"You got a guy that swings the bat pretty good and you got to put him on. You want to face everyone. You want to get everyone out."
But Wells couldn't put the ball in play as he struck out swinging to end the game and the series.
"Those are the moments you love to be in," said Wells. "Everything was set up for another memorable Yankee Stadium moment, and I didn't come through that time. He won that battle. I'm sure there will be plenty more."
Preston Claiborne made his major league debut in the 6th inning in relief of Pettitte. He was called up before Fridays game and he was tossed 2 perfect innings in his Bronx debut. Chris Nelson also made his Yankees debut on Saturday as he went 0-for-4 and remained hitless as a Yankee going 0-for-3 in Sunday's game as well.
Over his last three starts, Pettitte's ERA has climbed from 2.02 to 4.06.
"I had no command of my fastball and I wasn't able to hit with my offspeed stuff when I wanted to," Pettitte said. "The other stuff is kind of floating around, and my cutter is non-existent right now.
"When I do throw a good one and then try again, and it's a bad pitch, it's hard to trust it again. I have to figure this out, hopefully pretty quick."
After an off day on Monday the Yankees will travel to Colorado for a 3 game set with the Rockies that starts on Tuesday with Hiroki Kuroda facing Jorge De La Rosa at 8:40pm ET from Coors Field.
Follow @GavinEwbank2013 on Twitter.
Andy Pettitte made his first start since allowing 7 runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Astros last Monday and he couldn't seem to regain his form against the A's. Oakland made Pettitte work just as they did to Sabathia and Hughes, with Pettitte throwing 100 pitches in 5 innings, surrendering 4 runs on 4 hits, while walking 4 and striking out only 2.
"I think two starts is way too little a number of starts to make a big deal out of it," said the Yankees' manager. "If it goes on for a month, then obviously there is some concern."
"Everything has been great in my [bullpen sessions]. But something is going on in the games." Said Pettitte. "I can feel my release point floating around. You just know from the feel of your fingers, the ball is just not coming off right. It has been a long line time since I haven't had a feel for my pitches."
A throwing error by Robinson Cano is what put Oakland on the board first in the 3rd inning, but Cano was able to give the Yankees that run back in the bottom half of the 3rd when he singled to center field, scoring Brett Gardner to tie the game.
Oakland answered in the 4th when Luke Montz took Pettitte deep to start the inning and give the A's at 2-1 lead. Yoenis Cespedes added to the lead an innning later off Pettitte with a 2-run homerun into the visitors bullpen in left-center field. Pettitte would finish out the inning, as well as his day.
The Yankees were able to make a comeback in the 6th, when the Yanks worked a couple runners on base they had forced A's starter Dan Straily out of the game. Straily went 5 1/3 innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits, while walking 3 and striking out 4.
With runners on 1st and 2nd facing Jerry Blevins, Ichiro was able to line a double down the right field line to plate Cano and land Well on 3rd. After a Jayson Nix strikeout, Lyle Overbay came throught with a 2 run single to center field that scored both Wells and Ichiro to tie the game at 4-4.
But with Boone Logan pitching in the 8th, Josh Donaldson was able to take Logan deep to left field, bearly keeping the ball fair to give Oakland a 5-4 lead. That would prove to be the winning run, but not before the Yankees attempted another comeback in the 9th.
Brett Gardner batting with two-outs was able to keep the Yankees alive by singling to center, bringing up Cano. After a wild pitch allowed Gardner to advance to 2nd, the A's decided to intentionally walk Cano to bring up Wells with runners on 1st and 2nd with two away.
"I hated having to do it," said Balfour of issuing the walk. "I get two outs and a guy gets a single on a broken bat and, all of a sudden, there's a ball in the dirt and a base open.
"You got a guy that swings the bat pretty good and you got to put him on. You want to face everyone. You want to get everyone out."
But Wells couldn't put the ball in play as he struck out swinging to end the game and the series.
"Those are the moments you love to be in," said Wells. "Everything was set up for another memorable Yankee Stadium moment, and I didn't come through that time. He won that battle. I'm sure there will be plenty more."
Preston Claiborne made his major league debut in the 6th inning in relief of Pettitte. He was called up before Fridays game and he was tossed 2 perfect innings in his Bronx debut. Chris Nelson also made his Yankees debut on Saturday as he went 0-for-4 and remained hitless as a Yankee going 0-for-3 in Sunday's game as well.
Over his last three starts, Pettitte's ERA has climbed from 2.02 to 4.06.
"I had no command of my fastball and I wasn't able to hit with my offspeed stuff when I wanted to," Pettitte said. "The other stuff is kind of floating around, and my cutter is non-existent right now.
"When I do throw a good one and then try again, and it's a bad pitch, it's hard to trust it again. I have to figure this out, hopefully pretty quick."
After an off day on Monday the Yankees will travel to Colorado for a 3 game set with the Rockies that starts on Tuesday with Hiroki Kuroda facing Jorge De La Rosa at 8:40pm ET from Coors Field.
Follow @GavinEwbank2013 on Twitter.
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