Pettitte Gives Up Six Runs as Yankees Lose to Jays

Andy Pettitte gave up 6 runs and 10 hits in Sunday’s loss against Toronto. A mistake in the outfield in the first inning helped put the Yankees behind, 3-0.

By HOWARD BECK
Published: August 31, 2008

Blue Jays 6, Yankees 2

Xavier Nady has called Yankee Stadium home for five weeks, a span too short to have soaked up much of its glory and history — or to have learned its subtle quirks. As a newcomer, he also missed out on the Yankees’ 13 straight playoff appearances, a streak that is in jeopardy after another gaffe-filled weekend in the Bronx.

Nady, who was acquired in late July to boost the team’s playoff push, became the latest Yankee to make a critical mistake, misplaying a deep fly ball in the first inning of Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto scored two runs on the miscue and three runs in the inning, which was enough to sink Andy Pettitte and put another crimp in the Yankees’ fading postseason hopes. Roy Halladay used the lead to great effect, holding the Yankees to eight hits and two runs in seven innings to secure his 17th victory.

The loss left the Yankees seven games behind Boston in the wild-card race as they prepared to leave for a difficult 10-game trip. Barring a sudden turnaround, Yankee Stadium will be down to its final 10 games when the team returns.

Pettitte (13-11) blamed himself after giving up 6 runs and 10 hits in six and a third innings.

“I’m looking for a miracle here,” Pettitte said somberly, “and I’m just looking to right the ship here and do my job and get wins whenever I’m supposed to be out there on the mound.”

A few minutes later and one locker stall over, Nady took responsibility for contributing to Pettitte’s rough afternoon. Pettitte walked Marco Scutaro to start the game, then allowed one-out singles to Alex Ríos and Vernon Wells as the Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead. It could have ended there, but Nady misread a hard shot off the bat of Rod Barajas and let a ball that could have been caught sail over him in left field. Nady initially took a step toward home plate, then turned and ran toward the wall after realizing his mistake. Barajas was credited with a double and two runs batted in.

“By the time I recovered it was too late,” Nady said.

Manager Joe Girardi and Johnny Damon each blamed the sun, saying that left field at Yankee Stadium is among the most difficult places to play during a day game. Nady acknowledged those challenges but said he “just flat-out misread” Barajas’s hit and insisted that the sun was not a major factor on that play.

“It’s my fault, and, obviously, Andy pitched pretty well,” Nady said. “And it’s frustrating. If I catch that it kind of changes everything.”

A day earlier, the Yankees squandered a four-run lead after Robinson Canó committed an error in the seventh inning.

“I think everyone’s kind of in shock right now,” Nady said. “We’re not playing well right now. It’s obvious.”

Pettitte was otherwise solid for most of the afternoon, allowing just four hits over the next five innings, including a solo home run by Scott Rolen. He left with the Yankees trailing by 5-2 and was charged with a sixth run when Scutaro scored on a wild pitch by José Veras.

Halladay beat the Yankees for the fourth time this season, despite surrendering leadoff home runs to Alex Rodriguez (in the fourth inning) and Jason Giambi (in the sixth).

Having lost two of three to Toronto, the Yankees now leave for a trip that includes three-game series against two division leaders, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles.

“We have to play our best baseball of the year the rest of the year, there’s no doubt about it,” Girardi said. “If things don’t go your way, one at-bat or one pitch, you got to get back up and you got to fight.”

INSIDE PITCH

Joba Chamberlain will be activated from the disabled list on Tuesday, which would make him available to pitch that night in Tampa Bay, Joe Girardi said. The Yankees are waiting until then in order to give Chamberlain time to recover from the 35-pitch simulated game he threw on Saturday. Girardi has strongly hinted that Chamberlain will be used in relief, rather than as a starter. But when he was asked whether Chamberlain could resume his former role as the eighth-inning reliever, Girardi offered a coy grin. “We’ll see,” he said. ... The Yankees will bring up catcher Chad Moeller and the left-hander Phil Coke when rosters expand Monday. The right-hander Dan Giese (shoulder) is expected to rejoin the team Tuesday.. ... The last pitcher to beat the Yankees four times in one season was the Angels’ Chuck Finley in 1996. ... Jason Giambi’s sixth-inning home run was his 205th as a Yankee, moving him into a tie with Dave Winfield for 10th place in franchise history. ... After the game, the Blue Jays traded infielder David Eckstein to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a minor league pitcher. Eckstein was the Blue Jays’ designated hitter on Sunday. He went 2 for 4 with a run batted in.

News source：http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/sports/baseball/01yankees.html?_r=1&ref=baseball&oref=slogin