Defense Fails Phelps, Yankees Bats Silenced in 6-0 Loss

GAME 51: The recent run of sure-handed defensive play by the Yankees went south tonight in St. Louis. Starter David Phelps scattered six hits over six innings, but only three of the five runs he allowed were earned. Errors by Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts in the third contributed to a 4 run Cardinal inning, and with how St. Louis starter Lance Lynn was mowing down the Yanks, it mattered little in the end result.
Lynn went all the way, finishing with 126 pitches in a 5-hit shutout. It was the second time New York was blanked this season, the first coming in a 4-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on April 5th, at the hands of R.A. Dickey.
No Yankee reached third base. Aside from two innings that looked like a rally could be in the making, Lynn shut the door. They went down 1-2-3 in four of the nine frames. Brian McCann led off the second inning with a booming double over the head of centerfield Jon Jay, but never advanced as Yangervis Solarte, Alfonso Soriano, and Brian Roberts all grounded out.
GAMEDAY NOTES: Mark Teixiera sat out the game again, and it’s clear how much he’s missed. Both his hot bat and solid defense might have changed the dynamics of tonight’s game. The error on Kelly Johnson was on a wide throw from Derek Jeter that brought Johnson off the bag, and trying to swipe-tag the runner. Johnson dropped the ball on a play that Teixiera seems to make in his sleep. Johnson is not a first-baseman by trade, but has handled it well for the most part … David Phelps grew up 20 miles from the Cardinal’s ballpark, and had many family and friends in attendance …
Here’s the box score and recap.
MEMORY LANE: On May 27th, 1927, the Yankees were on the good side of a shutout, as Waite Hoyt (pictured) tossed a 3 hitter in a 5-0 victory against the Washington Senators. The Bambino went 0-4, but Lou Gehrig hit his 11th home run of the season. The Yanks improved to a league-leading 23-12 record.