Game 118 - Joba, Pen Terrible in Loss to M's

With a chance to go for the jugular against Seattle for the 4-game sweep and increase their division lead after a Red Sox loss, Joba Chamberlain and the Yankee pen fell flat on their faces in a terrible performance against the worse hitting team in the American League. Seattle Mariners smacked them around for a 10-3 victory. All 10 of Seattle's runs came with 2 outs, as they touched Joba for 4 runs, Alfredo Aceves for another 4 and the newly acquired Chad Gaudin for the final 2.

Yankee pitching struck out 32 Mariners in the previous 3 games, but Joba could only muster 2 in his weak performance. After cruising through 2 innings, he labored in the next 3. Twice the Yanks gave him the lead, 1-0 and 3-2, but he surrendered 2 runs in the 3rd and 2 more in the 5th. He allowed 7 hits and 3 walks to the anemic Seattle lineup in 5 innings of work.

Aceves came into the game in the 6th to keep the game close. With the Yanks down by 1 in the 7th, he appeared to be on the verge of escaping a bases loaded jam, but hit the career .217 hitting Josh Wilson that led to a 5-run outburst in the inning. Gaudin came in relief and gave up 3 straight 2-out hits to blow the game wide open. Jose Lopez did most of the damage for Seattle, going 3-5 with 3 RBIs, but weak hitting throw away infielders Jack Hannahan and Wilson were a combined 4-8 with 2 RBIs. Hannahan is hitting .226 for his career and was traded this season from Oakland for a song. The Yankees pitchers inability to buckle down and get the final out of the inning was very disconcerting today.

Lost in today's lackluster performance was Derek Jeter setting the all time hit record for shortstops. He went 3-4 and passed Hall of Fame SS, Luis Aparicio, and now has 2, 675 hits at the SS position. He trails Lou Gehrig by 33 hits for the all time Yankee hits leader.

Fortunately, the Yanks loss this game while the Sox lost. With Boston's defeat to the Texas Rangers, they now trail to them in the wild card standings.

Yankees Record: 74-44