GAME 3
TIGERS 6
YANKEES 0
DETROIT – Twice in his first two Octobers as a Yankee, Randy Johnson has been asked to deliver seriesturning performances. On each occasion he has failed miserably.
Yet to pin all of last night’s demoralizing 6-0 ALDS Game 3 loss to the resurgent Tigers in front of 43,440 stoked Comerica Park customers would be wrong.
The Yankees aren’t down, 2-1, in the best-of-five series and 27 outs away from elimination today totally because of Johnson’s inept hurling.
Pitching with a herniated disc in his lower back, the 43-year-old Johnson gave up five runs and eight hits in 52/3innings but “The Greatest Lineup Ever Assembled” was handcuffed by Kenny Rogers.
Until last night, Rogers was routinely used as a punching bag by the Yankees during the regular season and anybody else he faced in the postseason.
Rogers, a complete failure in two seasons (1996-97) with the Yankees, was 5-7 with a 6.45 ERA against the Yankees and hadn’t beaten them since 1993. His postseason ledger was even worse. In nine October games (five starts), Rogers was 0-3 with an 8.85 ERA.
But for 72/3 innings last night the sky-high 41-year-old lefty blanked the Yankees. He gave up five hits, walked two and hit a batter. The Yankees were 0-for-17 against Rogers with runners on base and hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position.
So, with their year down to 27 outs and an offseason of embarrassment, the Yankees send Jaret Wright to the mound today against Jeremy Bonderman.
A victory would force Game 5 tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium, where Chien-Ming Wang would start against Nate Robertson in a Game 1 repeat.
A loss would end the Yankees’ season in the first round for the second consecutive year and leave the organization wondering if wholesale changes are required.
After going 1-for-14 with runners on base and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Game 2, the Yankees’ ineptitude at the plate deepened last night when they were 0-for-18 and 0-for-8.
And no, Alex Rodriguez (0-for-3) wasn’t the only guy with dead wood. Bobby Abreu, whose trade deadline acquisition was hailed as a huge addition, was so bothered by Rogers that he showed bunt in each of his final three at-bats and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Joe Torre’s decision to start Bernie Williams at DH and sit Gary Sheffield because Williams had solid numbers against Rogers didn’t matter. Williams, who was 12-for-34 (.353) against Rogers, went 0-for-3 against him and whiffed twice with runners in scoring position.
Johnson, who was spanked by the Angels in Game 3 of last year’s ALDS, gave up five runs and eight hits in 52/3 innings. In 12 Division Series games (10 starts), Johnson is 2-8 with a 4.85 ERA.
The Yankees had a runner on in each of the first five frames and not only didn’t score, they didn’t have a runner advance. In the third, fourth and fifth, the Yankees’ leadoff hitter reached base and didn’t budge.
Robinson Cano stopped a 0-for-8 slide with a leadoff single in the third but Derek Jeter hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. Abreu drew a walk to start the fourth but Rodriguez flied to center, Jason Giambi struck out looking and Jorge Posada’s fly to left-center expired in the warning track. Hideki Matsui started the fifth with an oppositefield double but Rogers whiffed Bernie Williams, Cano and retired Johnny Damon on a grounder to short.
AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES
Yankees vs. Redsox
At a glance
AL DIVISION SERIES
*if necessary Radio: All games on WCBS, 880 AM
Game Date Site Time TV
Game 1 Tuesday Yankees 8, Tigers 4
Game 2 Thursday Tigers 4, Yankees 3
Game 3 Last night Tigers 6, Yankees 0 Tigers lead, 2-1
Game 4 Today Yankees at Tigers 4 p.m. Ch. 5
Game 5* Tomorrow Tigers at Yankees 7:30 p.m. Ch. 5