Yanks Lose to Murphy's Law
Bombers Give Up 5 runs in 14th Inning
Jeter Goes 0-7
By Rich Mancuso
BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 3- It took more than five hours and almost 500 pitches were thrown between the pitchers of both teams. The final out was recorded a few minutes before 1 a.m. Saturday morning with very few remaining at Yankee Stadium. It was one of those games in the Bronx that the New York Yankees want to forget after losing a 14-inning marathon to the Tampa Bay Rays, 10-5.
The starters, David Price of Tampa and Vidal Numo of the Yankees were long gone and of course did not figure in the decision.
The Yankees will have to depend on Masahiro Tanaka to go deep Saturday because manager Joe Girardi used every available arm in the bullpen, except David Phelps. Instead it was rookie Chris leroux who gave up five-runs in the Rays’ 14th inning.
It was one of those nights into the early morning, in the Bronx, and the Yankees did have their chances leaving 13- men on base. The two teams combined for 38 hits, 20 coming from the Rays.
“It’s tough,” commented Girardi in a hasty and brief post game meeting with the media.”We had some opportunities later in the game. We weren’t able to get it done.” It was also the 1,000th game for Girardi as Yankees manager, the sixth manager in their history to reach that mark.
And this one will long be remembered by Girardi, and his team hopes to not let the loss linger with a few hours sleep. The Yankees squandered opportunities in the12th and 13th innings stranding runners on third with less than two outs, which promoted Girardi to say, “Days like this we gotta find ways to scratch some runs.”
And for the first time in his career, Derek Jeter had a 0-for-7 game at the plate. He’s gone hitless in a game 596 other games in his illustrious career, but nothing like this. It was that type of unusual game in the Bronx, and the longest game the Yankees have played against Tampa Bay.
“I don’t know man, it was just a weird game,” said Jeter. “I don’t even remember the first four of them (at bats). No one wants to go, 0 for…what?” Regardless, Jeter’s hitless game will go in the record books but won’t be inscribed when his day arrives for induction in the Baseball hall of Fame.
Girardi is looking for Tanaka can provide some length, as he said, “Our bullpen’s a mess, no doubt about it.” He used the entire bullpen, with exception of Phelps who is slated to start one of the games next week in Los Angeles against the Angels, and they threw a total of 182 pitches.
Jeter added, “Strange things happen, funny things happen.” And right now it is not funny for the Yankees who have to be concerned that numerous issues as they take a three-game losing streak into their game Saturday. One thing the Yankees don’t need is another marathon. The good thing, Tanaka is on the mound and he has been everything that was advertised in his first five starts.
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