Game 88 - Yanks Faint Again at Sight of Angels

The All-Star break can't come quick enough for a Yankee team that got embarrassed in Anaheim this weekend. The Angels completed the 3-game sweep with a 5-4 victory over the Yanks and their ace, CC Sabathia. The good news is, the Yanks didn't blow another 4-run lead, but they did have a lead for the 3rd straight day with a 1-0 lead after 3 innings. Crooked Cap got lit up for a 4-spot in the 4th, as the Angels continued putting up big innings.

Ol' friend, Bobby Abreu, haunted the Yanks this series, doubling in a run to tie the score at 1. He went 6-13 in the series with 6 RBIs. The Crooked One then walked a guy hitting .226, an RBI double to Yankee killer, Howie Kendrick, a ground out brought in the 3rd run, and a .221 hitter knocked in the final run of the inning with a single. How come the rest of the league has figured out Kendrick, who was sent down to Triple A earlier this season for his struggles, but he continues to pound the Yanks? Who is in their scouting department? Once again, this weekend's pounding came against a team with their top 2 run producers on the DL.

The Yanks began clawing back with a Jorge Posada pinch-hit RBI single in the 7th. CC, though, handed the 3-run lead right back, and it proved to be the fateful play of the game. With 2 out in the bottom frame, Chone Figgins tripled and Maicer Izturis singled him in. The Yanks gave a valiant effort in the 8th, loading the bases with no one out. Melky Cabrera singled in a run and Posada followed with a sac fly. With 1 out and runners on first and second, pinch hitter, Nick Swisher, ripped a line drive up the middle, heading for CF and tying the game - but, NO! Angels reliever, Darren Oliver, made a miraculous stab of the ball and doubled up Melky off of first. Inning over, threat over, and pretty much - game over. In the 9th, the heart of the Yankees order, The Captain, Tex and ARod, went down meekly as the Yanks go into the All Star break with their tail between their legs. As quickly as the Yanks tied Boston for the division lead, they find themselves 3 games back.

Yankees Record: 51-37