Even after Mariano's Great 10th inning Escape, the Yankees couldn't be saved. And for the second straight game, Joe Girardi used 7 relievers (Chad Gaudin, last man standing, in case of emergency).
That brought you Alfredo Aceves, who turned two out, nobody on base into a 5-4 Angels win in the span of two batters, starting with Howie (Yankee Killer) Kendrick's single (leaving him a double shy of the cycle).
Against Jeff (game-winning double) Mathis, "I was trying to get ahead, trying to get a strike,'' Aceves said, staring with a cutter and losing the game on a fastball. But as Posada said, "I thought we made the pitches -- tough loss.''
"There was a lot of good things that happened, so let's build on that,'' said Alex Rodriguez, one of the fellows who had four homers. But the Yanks were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and Swisher was down about his two lost ABs with runners at the corners and one out.
"We'll come back with the same attitude, the same fire out there,'' Swisher said in a plain tone of voice. And as Jeter said, "You anticipate the games being close - we know it's going to be a challenge.''
You have to like what Hughes and Robertson did today, and Girardi expects to have the full bullpen complement for Game 4, important since Sabathia is going on short rest. But Girardi hopes to get 110-115 pitches out of CC, and anticipates having Rivera at the end.
That's partly why Rivera only threw 17 pitches (after throwing 33 on Saturday). But his most errant toss on Monday didn't cost the Yanks.
"I had it right in my palm, it was hard to make a good throw,'' Rivera said of fielding the bunt and throwing low to third base, where A-Rod was ready to plant a tag on eventual hero Jeff Mathis. But with Teixeira's help (diving stop, assist at the plate, 3 unassisted), the Yanks lived to the 11th.
Too bad the loss of the DH took Damon out of the equation.
"I would've liked our chances coming into the (12th) inning,'' Damon said, with Tex, A-Rod (intentionally walked with 2 out, none on in the 9th by Fuentes) due up.
Was it shocking that as soon as the Rally Monkey arrived, Kendrick tripled off Joba to start the go-ahead Angel rally? Posada's homer off Jepsen tied it (after Gardner, pinch-runner was thrown out on a great pitch out call), giving this game another classic touch.
But after all the bullpen maneuvers by Girardi, you're down to Aceves in the 11th, and Gaudin in the pen, for emergency purposes only.
Well, it could be worse, Yankees fans. You could be trying to survive October with the Dodgers' bullpen. Or the Phillies'.
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