Yankees Get Bombed at Home

The Mets are really treating this like the World Series. They look like a completely different team from what I have witnessed in the almost fifty games before this Yankees series. Players who can't hit in the clutch are getting hits with runners in scoring position and pitchers who couldn't buy a victory are getting wins and dominating while doing so. For the Yankees, the exhaustion is beginning to show on the team. The role players who were brought in to be backups are beginning to wither and the players who should be playing on a regular basis aren't setting the bar for the rest of the team. As Robinson Cano goes through his terrible slump, the Yankees are losing games that they would ordinarily be winning with a hit here or there from their star second baseman. Cano continues to look helpless at the plate, despite getting two hits in tonight's game. One or two hits per game is not Cano-like. Robinson Cano has high expectations for himself and whenever he bats anything under .300 the fans begin to panic, and so does Cano. The offense was able to score four runs tonight, but in a losing effort.

The main problem for the Yankees tonight wasn't their lack of offense, but the starting pitching. David Phelps only managed to record one out in the game while allowing five runs to score in the first inning to put the Yankees offense in an immediate hole. The first inning was the difference in the game because without the five spot, the Mets only score four runs in the game and we may be singing a different tune during this postgame analysis. However, what has happened is in the past and you can't change the past. All Phelps can do is to get ready for his next start, assuming that they don't replace him with Ivan Nova who pitched great in relief following Claiborne and Adam Warren. Nova pitched a brilliant five innings of relief for the Yankees, allowing only one run on five hits. In the eighth inning, Nova accomplished a feat that hasn't been accomplished by a Yankee since 2009 when AJ Burnett did it. He struck out the side on nine pitches, which is he minimum number of pitches needed to be thrown to strike out all three batters in an inning.

The Yankee regulars who are on the disabled list can't get back to the Bronx any faster. The Yankees will try to salvage one game against the Mets tomorrow night as Vidal Nuno get the start for the Bombers. Pitching for the Mets will be Dillon Gee, who has shown promise but has yet to put it all together in a successful season.