THE PROBLEM of April, the problem of May, the problem, well, you get the idea. It was the problem again yesterday, and it just might mean the Yankees do not get out of October the way they intended.
The Yankees were three outs from Mariano Rivera last night, so it felt as if they were three outs from the World Series. They had a two-run lead in the seventh. Get through the inning, hand the ball to Rivera, and see you Saturday night in the Fall Classic.
But Jose Contreras and Felix Heredia combined to give up three runs in the seventh, Jeff Nelson and Gabe White teamed to allow two in the ninth, and now the Yanks, after falling 9-6 to Boston, must play a Game 7 tonight, Pedro Martinez vs. Roger Clemens for the AL title.
Tonight will be the 26th game between the teams in 2003, and the Yanks’ dream of a 27th championship is precarious because, eight months after pitchers and catchers, Joe Torre still has no trustworthy bridge from starter to Rivera.
“They took our game,” Jorge Posada said. “Coming into the seventh, we had a 6-4 lead and I had a good feeling. They took that good feeling away.”
This postseason, Yankees success mainly has been a long start, two innings from Rivera, and as little from middle relief as possible. Only Contreras had engendered faith with strong work early in this series. And he struck out the side in the sixth yesterday after Andy Pettitte lasted just five innings. That brought Contreras to the seventh. Three outs to Rivera.
“It was a big inning because they had [Nomar] Garciaparra, Manny [Ramirez] and [David] Ortiz up,” Posada said.
Garciaparra tripled, Ramirez doubled, Ortiz singled and the score was tied. On this day, the Red Sox were happy the Evil Empire had outbid them for Contreras.
Later in the inning, with two out, second and third and Heredia pitching, Torre decided to walk Jason Varitek because the catcher had been hitting so well righty, though Torre knew it loaded the bases and Heredia has fits of wildness. Torre said he never considered using White, who was warming up and has excellent control. Heredia walked Johnny Damon on four pitches to bring in the go-ahead run.
In the ninth, Bill Mueller doubled off Nelson and Trot Nixon homered off White to assure no Yankees comeback. Especially because the Red Sox pen, more maligned from April-September than the Yankees’ relief, remained the collective ALCS MVP. Bronson Arroyo, Todd Jones, Alan Embree, Mike Timlin and Scott Williamson teamed for 5 1/3 innings of one-run work.
All season, both teams hunted relief help; maybe Boston won that battle and, thus, will win this ALCS. The Yanks know the magnitude of set-up relief. Before last postseason, the Yanks were 37-1 under Torre in the playoffs when leading after six innings (Sandy Alomar’s 1997 Division Series homer off Rivera bringing the lone defeat). But the Yankees lost both games they led after six innings in last year’s Division Series ouster against Anaheim. So they knew the area needed an upgrade.
But from the season-ending injury to Steve Karsay to failures by Jose Acevedo, Armando Benitez, Chris Hammond and Antonio Osuna, the problem remained unsolved. On July 31, the Yankees used their best prospect, Brandon Claussen, to get Heredia, White and third baseman Aaron Boone, who has looked overmatched, also, this October. Two days earlier, Boston dealt with the Reds for Williamson, who has three saves in this ALCS.
There are no trades left. Torre said he still trusts his set-up men, but he also said “everyone is available,” so you might see Mike Mussina or David Wells tonight before Contreras and company if Clemens can’t hand off directly to Rivera.
Asked if any set-up man can be trusted in Game 7, Posada said, “We’re going to find out.”
We know this: After failing to find the right set-up arms all year, Torre, Brian Cashman and other Yankees should expect no relief from George Steinbrenner this offseason without a victory tonight.
Pig pen
The Yankees bullpen failed to hold a 6-4 lead yesterday, allowing the Red Sox to come back for a 9-6 win that forced Game 7 in this ALCS.
Here’s a look at the Yankees relievers yesterday, and prior to then:
Entered in top of sixth
Reliever IP H R ER BB SO Pit.
Jose Contreras 1 1/3 4 3 3 1 3 41
Felix Hereidia 2/3 0 0 0 2 2 18
Jeff Nelson 1 1/3 2 1 1 0 2 21
Gabe White 2/3 2 1 1 0 1 16
YESTERDAY
4 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO, 11.25 ERA
2003 POSTSEASON
PRIOR TO YESTERDAY
(excluding Mariano Rivera)
10 1/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO, 1.74 ERA