GAME 135: If the Yankees are indeed treating their remaining schedule as “playoff” games — well then they’ve picked up right where they left off in their last “playoff’ series. The 2012 offensive no-show against the Detroit Tigers. A few days ago, the division itself seemed to be possible again, as Baltimore’s lead slipped to 6 games, and the Yankees looked to be putting together the “run” that eluded the team all season.
Then boom! The Birds rip off 4 straight wins, Yanks go punchless up North, and it’s back to 9 games. And with Cleveland heating up, the Yankees now have three teams to climb over for the second Wild Card slot — and they don’t play even one of them head-to-head. Playoff hopes are fading fast.
“You know what’s in front of you,” Derek Jeter said. “We need to win games.”
Brandon McCarthy failed to protect a 3-run lead, and the bats were silenced from the fifth inning on. Here’s the box score and recap.
Today in Yankees Baseball History
MEMORY LANE: On today’s date in 1996, the Yankees hammered the California Angels 14-3 at Anaheim Stadium. The Bombers did it without hitting a home run, as they pounded out 16 hits including 7 doubles. Every player in the lineup hit safely, led by 2B Mariano Duncan (3-5), Derek Jeter (2-4), and Darryl Strawberry (2-4). Jimmy Key went 8 innings, evening his record at 10-10, as Dale Polley pitched a scoreless ninth. The game lasted a manageable 2:55.The 1996 Angels were managed by Joe Maddon, the current skipper of the Tampa Bay Rays.
On August 31st, 1982, the Yankees traded Tommy John to the California Angels for a player to be named later. The California Angels sent Dennis Rasmussen (November 24, 1982) to New York to complete the trade.
In 1947, the Yankees released Frankie Crosetti.
SOURCES: TodayInBaseballHistory.com, Baseball-Reference.com
