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The writing was on the wall. The Yankees had just completed a 3 game sweep of the Red Sox and now had to face the cellar dwelling Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Sure enough, they were flat and mailed it in, and Phil Hughes was awful. Hughes (2-3, 5.65), looking more like Roger Rabbit than Roger Clemens, allowed 3 straight base runners reach to start the game and the Yankees were in the hole for good. The final outcome was a 9-1 Devil Rays victory. Luckily for the Bombers, both the Red Sox and Mariners both lost, so the Yankees still sit atop the Wild Card lead, and remain 5 back of Boston.

Trailing 3-0 in the 4th, Alex Rodriguez singled home Derek Jeter, who also singled, with the Yankees lone run. Andy Sonnanstine, who entered the game with an ERA near 7 (sounds like a game against Edwin Jackson not too long ago), allowed only those 2 hits in 8 innings to improve to 4-9. The usually patient Yankees only managed 1 walk, issued by Grant Balfour in the 9th.

Hughes pitched scoreless 2nd and 4th innings, but the odd number innings bit on the behind. Carlos Pena lead off the 5th with his 1st of 2 home runs on the night (numbers 32, 33). B.J. Upton followed with a walk and Delmon Young singled. When Brendan Harris sacrificed the pair into scoring position, Joe Torre sent for Chris Britton. Greg Norton's sac fly upped the score to 5-1 before Britton got the final 2 outs of the inning.

But the Yankees could must no offense, and Britton and Brian Bruney, who look like a WWE tag-team, gave up 2 runs each to put the game out of reach.

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