Yankees Can't Overcome Igawa

Sorry for the late recap, we were catching up on some much needed sleep. Last night's game pretty much went as we expected. When you score 5 runs in a major league baseball game, you should win said game. But when Kei Igawa is your starting pitcher, 5 runs is just not enough. Igawa gave up 6 in 3 innings (we had predicted 5 in 3.1, not bad) and a Yankees rally fell short in the 9th as the Tigers held on for a 6-5 win.

Ivan Rodriguez doubled to lead off the 1st and scored two batters later on a sac fly by Carlos Guillen to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead just 3 batters into their lineup. Igawa managed to have a 1-2-3 2nd inning after Jason Giambi tied the game with his team leading 7th home run against Kenny Rogers, but Igawa ran smack into trouble again in the 3rd.

Ryan Rayburn reached on an infield single and came home all the way from 1st on Rodriguez's second double of the game. Placido Polanco's bunt single put runners on the corners and 1 out later, Magglio Ordonez singled through the left side for a 3-1 Tigers lead. Igawa retired Miguel Cabrera, but Gary Sheffield doubled down the left field line (the left field line got more action than any Yankees infielder) for a 4-1 advantage.

Joe Girardi was hoping to save some wear and tear on his pen, but after Igawa gave up four straight singles, including RBI hits by Rodriguez and Polanco, to open the 4th, he had no choice but to go to Jonathan Albaladejo.

The Yankees bullpen kept the team in the game, though Albaladejo had to leave the game in the 6th inning with an elbow injury and is headed for the disabled list. A double by Robinson Cano ended Rogers night in the 7th, and he came around on Chad Moeller's RBI single to cut the lead to 6-2.

In the 9th the Yankees rallied against Tigers closer Todd Jones, who was came on for a non-save situation. Wilson Betemit doubled, moved to 3rd on a wild pitch, and came home on Cano's ground out. Johnny Damon pinch-hit and beat out a slow grounder for an infield single. He moved to 3rd on another wild pitch and a Melky Cabrera ground out and scored on Derek Jeter's single. Jeter moved to 2nd on fielder's indifference and scored on Bobby Abreu's RBI double. Suddenly a blow out was a 6-5 game and the Yankees had the tying run on 2nd Base.

Jim Leyland elected to intentionally walk Hideki Matsui, whose 17-game hitting streak came to an end, to face Shelley Duncan. The big 1st Baseman got wood on the ball, but skied to Curtis Granderson in center field to end the game.

News and Notes

Jonathan Albaladejo said he felt like a needle was in his elbow and a burning sensation accompanied it. Maybe instead of Chris Britton making his umpteenth trip up, we'll finally see Scott Patterson. Nah.

Derek Jeter has started the season with a home run in 128 at-bats, the longest such streak of his career.

Kei Igawa is still slated for a start against the Rays next Wednesday. Why not just forfeit the game now and send everyone to the movies?

May 9, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	3		5	14	3
Detroit	1	0	3	2	0	0	0	0	X		6	13	0

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Cabrera, CF	5	0	2	0	0	0	2	.277
Jeter, SS	4	1	2	1	1	0	3	.305
Abreu, RF	4	0	1	1	1	2	3	.297
Matsui, LF	4	0	0	0	1	0	4	.333
Duncan, S, 1B	5	0	1	0	0	0	2	.194
Giambi, DH	4	1	2	1	0	0	0	.178
Betemit, 3B	4	1	2	0	0	0	2	.250
Cano, 2B	4	1	2	1	0	0	0	.182
Moeller, C	3	0	1	1	0	1	1	.290
a-Damon, PH	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	.286
Totals	38	5	14	5	3	3	17
a-Singled for Moeller in the 9th.
BATTING 2B: Cabrera (5, Rogers), Giambi (5, Rogers), Cano (5, Rogers), Betemit (1, Jones, T), Abreu (6, Jones, T). HR: Giambi (7, 2nd inning off Rogers, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Cabrera 3; Jeter 2; Abreu 2; Duncan, S; Giambi 6; Betemit 3; Cano 3; Moeller; Damon. RBI: Giambi (19), Moeller (4), Cano (11), Jeter (17), Abreu (22). 2-out RBI: Jeter; Abreu. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Matsui; Betemit 2; Duncan, S. GIDP: Matsui; Jeter. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING PO: Betemit (1st base by Rogers). FIELDING E: Matsui (1, fielding), Moeller (2, throw), Betemit (1, fielding). Outfield assists: Abreu (Rodriguez at 3rd base). DP: 2 (Abreu-Cano-Betemit, Betemit-Cano-Duncan, S).

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Igawa (L, 0-1)	3.0	11	6	6	0	0	0	18.00
Albaladejo	2.1	2	0	0	1	2	0	3.95
Hawkins	1.2	0	0	0	0	1	0	6.38
Ramirez	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

Detroit	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Rodriguez, C	4	2	3	2	1	0	1	.269
Polanco, 2B	4	1	2	1	0	0	3	.280
Guillen, 3B	3	0	0	1	0	0	6	.305
Ordonez, RF	4	0	2	1	0	1	1	.309
Cabrera, 1B	4	0	1	0	0	0	3	.252
Sheffield, LF	4	0	1	1	0	1	1	.204
Joyce, LF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.182
Renteria, SS	4	0	0	0	0	0	2	.272
Thames, DH	4	1	1	0	0	1	1	.260
Raburn, CF	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	.304
Granderson, CF	2	0	1	0	0	1	1	.262
Totals	35	6	13	6	1	4	19
BATTING 2B: Rodriguez 2 (12, Igawa, Igawa), Ordonez (9, Igawa), Sheffield (5, Igawa). TB: Rodriguez 5; Polanco 2; Ordonez 3; Cabrera; Sheffield 2; Thames; Raburn 2; Granderson. RBI: Guillen (15), Rodriguez 2 (16), Ordonez (25), Sheffield (7), Polanco (13). 2-out RBI: Sheffield. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera; Renteria 2; Ordonez; Guillen; Rodriguez. SF: Guillen. GIDP: Sheffield. Team LOB: 7. BASERUNNING SB: Granderson (2, 2nd base off Albaladejo/Moeller), Polanco (2, 2nd base off Albaladejo/Moeller). FIELDING DP: 2 (Rogers-Renteria-Cabrera, Polanco-Renteria-Cabrera). Pickoffs: Rogers (Betemit at 1st base).

Detroit IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Rogers (W, 3-3) 6.0 9 2 2 2 3 1 5.82 Miner 2.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 8.41 Jones, T 1.0 4 3 3 1 0 0 4.50

Igawa pitched to 4 batters in the 4th. Rogers pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. WP: Ramirez, Miner, Jones, T 2. IBB: Matsui (by Jones, T). Pitches-strikes: Igawa 64-41, Albaladejo 36-17, Hawkins 12-10, Ramirez 13-8, Rogers 97-57, Miner 28-16, Jones, T 25-15. Ground outs-fly outs: Igawa 2-7, Albaladejo 3-1, Hawkins 3-1, Ramirez 1-1, Rogers 8-6, Miner 4-2, Jones, T 2-1. Batters faced: Igawa 20, Albaladejo 8, Hawkins 5, Ramirez 4, Rogers 26, Miner 7, Jones, T 8. Inherited runners-scored: Albaladejo 2-0, Hawkins 2-0, Miner 1-1. Umpires: HP: Jerry Meals. 1B: Bill Miller. 2B: Paul Emmel. 3B: Gary Darling. Weather: 60 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 8 mph, L to R. T: 3:03. Att: 44,062.

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