Joba did not pitch fabulously yesterday, but he was aided by his good friend the Double Play Ball. He had roughly 15 of them in his 5.1 innings of work.
Ok, so the Red Sox only hit into 4 double plays, but the Yankees also hit into 3 double plays. I can't remember seeing 7 double plays in a game...I'm sure I have, but it seemed extra notable yesterday.
Those double plays kept Joba's line from not being terrible. Still, he needs to start pitching deeper into games.
So it is the 9th inning and Mariano Rivera is on the mound with 2 outs and a 2 run lead. Win Yankees yes? Well, sadly, no. Rivera served up a 2-run homerun to Jason Bay.
At this point, our bullpen is depleted (apparently Bruney was hurt) and our bench is empty. Home team has all the advantages entering extra innings.
That is not to say the Yankees didn't have their chances. They had men on base all night long, including the bases loaded with 1 out in the top of the 10th.
But alas, Kevin Youkilis hits the walk off homerun against Marte.
To top all of the suckitude that went on, Chien-Ming Wang is going on the DL (ok, that is probably a good thing), Cody Ransom is going on the DL (he sucks, but he did get the go ahead hit last night, and he was the best minor league option in the beginning of the season, not much has changed since then), and Brian Bruney has been sent to New York to get his elbow checked out.
Last night was sucky and all pregame action must be avoided by me this afternoon so that I do not have to listen to Joe Buck go on and on and on about it. It's bad enough they will be talking about the 22-4 loss last Saturday.
I really wanted game 1 too. I like knowing it is impossible to be swept.
AJ Burnett will have to be the magician he has been for the first part of the season yet again. Unfortunately for us, he is matched up against Josh Beckett who is freshly back from his suspension.