Yanks Stumble, K-Rod Crumbles

After a five and half hour rain delay, the Washngton Nationals won the rubber game of their series by drowning the Yankees 3-0, at Yankee Stadium last night. Joba Chamberlain pitched six innings and allowed all three Washington runs before being yanked. His record drops to 3-2 and it is the 11th time in 13 starts this season that Chamberlain has failed to pitch at least seven innings.

Ryan Zimmerman had three hits for Washington, including an RBI double in the fifth inning. Alex Rodrigue* went 0 for 4 last night and is in a 3-for-34 slump. Derek Jeter also made a pinch hit appearance in the seventh inning but grounded out to short, ending a potential rally. This was the first game in the new Yankee Stadium in which no home runs were hit.




Felix Pie claps his hands after being called safe at third-base in the bottom of the ninth.
(AP Photo/Gail Burton)(ESPN.com)

*I intentionally left off the "z". Why should I correct the spelling of his name, if he can't work to correct his slump? I know everyone has bad days, or bad months even, but is it me or does it seem like A-Rod has one all the time??

Mets closer Franciso Rodriguez blew his second game of the season last night, when Aubrey Huff hit a bases loaded walk-off single last night to give the Baltimore Orioles a 5-4 victory last night at Camden Yards. Huff, who has been a thorn in the Mets side over this series, went 3-for-5 last night. "Those types of things happen," said Mets manager Jerry Manuel. "[Rodriguez] happened to have a bad night."

Baltimore came into the ninth training 4-3 when Brian Roberts layed down a bunt in front of home plate, with two on and nobody out. Mets catcher Omir Santos and made a strong throw to third but umpire Tim Timmons ruled that pinch-runner Felix Pie narrowly beat the throw, which loaded the bases, before Adam Jones was walked to tie the game.

"I'm a human being and unfortunately, days like these are going to happen," said Rodriguez. "You just have to move on." Moving on is going to be tough for the Mets who squandered a golden opportunity to gain ground on Philadelphia after the Phillies were swept by the Toronto Blue Jays. They face a 10 game home stand in which the defending AL champion Tampa Bay Rays, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees come to town.


Information from the NY Post was used in this story.