Game 137 - Yanks Take Off for Labor Day Early

The Yankees defense and pitching apparently didn't get the word that there was a game on Sunday before their Labor Day doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays, because both didn't show up in their atrocious 14-8 loss to the Blue Jays.

The Yanks committed 4 errors, with everyone in the infield accounting for one each. Jerry Hairston, Ramiro Pena and Robinson Cano each had a throwing error and Mark Teixeira booted a ball. Nick Swisher added to the comedy of errors by losing a ball in the sun in RF. Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon collided going after a ball and the pitchers would just as horrendous, walking in 2 runs and knocking in another when Josh Towers nearly killed Bronx-born Randy Ruiz when he hit him in the head.

Sergio Mitre was God-awful, giving up 11 runs, 9 earned in 4.1 innings. He quickly flushed the memory of his last brilliant start against the White Sox with this absolute dud of a performance. He couldn't get out of the 5th inning, again, as the Jays overcome a 5-4 deficit to tack on a huge 8-spot on the Yanks to go up 12-5. Mark Melancon was equally horrendous, walking in 2 runs in relief. The 3rd out of the inning alluded him, too, and Josh Towers came in relief. Pitching in his first major league game since 2007, he's the one that skulled poor Ruiz. Towers was clearly shaken up, but Ruiz was fortunate and only suffered some swelling on his face after being pulled from the game.

Offensively, the Yanks were led by Derek Jeter, playing DH, with 3 hits that put him 4 behind Lou Gehrig. Swisher hit a 2-run homer that briefly gave the Yanks a 5-4 lead. Cabrera had a 3-run shot in the 7th that merely served as window dressing on a clunker game.

Yankees Record: 87-50