GAME 94: In a game called by rain after 4.5 innings, Mother Nature rescued the Baltimore Orioles tonight from the eventual Yankees comeback. Not. It was Masahiro Tanaka‘s turn to pitch tonight, but even if the ace was 100% and allowed 2 runs over 9 innings, it wouldn’t have mattered — because this team can’t hit.
“You can’t win if you can’t score”
In any other universe, would a starting pitcher be removed in the 4th inning after allowing 3 runs —2 coming from a home run? A 3-1 deficit is a death sentence around Yankeeland these days. But with this horribly under-preforming offense, Joe Girardi now has to mange every game like it’s a post-season elimination one. Chase Whitely was lifted after 3.2 innings.
GAMEDAY NOTES: Somebody should send the Yankees a highlight reel of this guy named Nick Markakis who plays right field for the Orioles. Word is he has one helluva an arm, and you shouldn’t run on him … Via LoHud via Elias Sports Bureau, tonight is the 45th time the Yankees are starting a rookie pitcher, the most in franchise history before the All-Star break …
Here’s the box score and recap.
MEMORY LANE: On July 13th, 1934, Babe Ruth hit his 700th home run in a 4-2 victory over Tommy Bridges and the Detroit Tigers. Lou Gehrig left in the first with a severe case of lumbago, the most serious threat to his streak. He returned for one at-bat the next day … Although not yet a member of the Yankees, July 13, 1971 is the anniversary of Reggie Jackson‘s mammoth home run off the power generator on the right-field roof at Tiger Stadium highlighted a barrage of six homers — three by each team as American League beat the National League 6-4 in the All-Star Game …
In 2002 on this date, the Bronx Bombers pounded the Cleveland Indians 14-5 at Jacobs Field behind the pitching of David Wells and a 15-hit attack by the offense. Leading the barrage for New York was Jorge Posada (HR, 6 RBI), Alfonso Soriano (2 HRs, 4 RBI), and Bernie Williams (2 RBI) … In 1973, Bobby Murcer hits three homers off Gene Garber that account for all RBIs in the Yankees’ 5-0 victory over the Royals. The Friday the Thirteenth contest at Yankee Stadium takes only one hour and 51 minutes to play …
In 1960, the Yankees host the second of two All Star games played in three days. The contest marks the return of Willie Mays to New York as the San Francisco Giants superstar goes 3-for-4, including a homer and a single off American League starter Whitey Ford, pacing the National League to a 6-0 victory.
Sources: Today In Baseball History, NationalPastime.com.
