Pettitte Hard Luck Loser...Again

Andy Pettitte pitched his heart out, but came away with another loss, because of a lack of run support. Pettitte allowed 3 runs in the 3rd inning as part of a 7 inning stint. But the Yankees, who were shut out on 6 hits against the Royals on Thursday, managed only 2 runs and 6 hits off of starter Jeremy Guthrie and the Orioles bullpen.

The game started about a half-hour after the Yankees completed an 8-7 win the game suspended on June 28. The Yankees struck first when Andy Phillips drew a 2-out walk in the 2nd inning, and came home on Melky Cabrera's booming triple to left-center. But Cabrera was stranded when Johnny Damon's hard one hopper was snared by shortstop Miguel Tejada. Tejada was playing his first game since June 21st when he suffered a broken wrist. Of course in the odd recordkeeping for the suspended game, he is now credit as playing on June 28th since he had an at-bat in the resumed game.

Pettitte (6-7) escaped a bases loaded jam in the 2nd, but wouldn't be so lucky in the 3rd. With runners on the corners and 1 out, Pettitte struck out Tejada for the 2nd out, but then walked Aubrey Huff. Ramon Hernandez's single to left scored 2 and Jay Gibbons lined an RBI single to right for a 3-0 lead.

The Yankees mounted a rally in the 5th when Phillips and Damon singled. Jay Payton booted the ball, allowing runners to move up to 2nd and 3rd with just 1 out. But Guthrie (7-3) froze Derek Jeter with a wicked breaking ball for a called 3rd strike, and Bobby Abreu grounded out to 1st.

The Yankees cut the deficit to one in the 6th. Alex Rodriguez, celebrating his 32nd birthday, walked and came around on singles byHideki Matsui and Robinson Cano. But Phillips grounded into an inning ending double play. That would end the night for Guthrie, who the Yankees were glad to see go.

Scott Proctor, who lately has been serving up gopherballs like IHOP serves up pancakes, gave up a solo shot to Yankees-killer Kevin Millar for an insurance run. It would be more than enough as the Yankees could only manage 2 base runners against John Parrish, Paul Shuey, Jamie Walker, and Chad Bradford (1st save).

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Phillips was 2-3 to extend his career high hitting streak to 9 games and is hitting .345 in July.

Pettitte has allowed 3 or fewer runs in 9 starts this season without getting a win. The Yankees have scored 2 or fewer runs in 6 of his last 15 starts.

The Tampa Yankees were rained out on Friday, pushing Jason Giambi's rehab back a day.

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