LIFELESS IN THE BRONX. TIGERS UP 2-0

It was crunch time for the Yankees coming into this game. The Yankees had lost their Captain, Derek Jeter, to a season-ending injury. Their best hitters cannot hit the ball to save their lives. At the same time, things are starting to crumble in the Detroit clubhouse as well. Anibal Sanchez, who was clocked by the Yankees to the tune of seven runs in 3 innings in August, was starting Game 2. Detroit announced that their closer, Jose Valverde, would not be closing Game 2. This was a golden opportunity for the Yankees to tie the series.

Hiroki Kuroda, starting in 3 days rest because of the schedule for the first time this season, was ready to meet the challenge and pitched as brilliantly as could be expected. He was perfect through the first five innings, and did not surrender a run until the seventh. He held the heart of the order - Yankee Killer and Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, and "The Other Yankee Killer" Delmon Young to one for nine with five strikeouts. When they did score in the seventh, it was men on first and third and nobody out. He was fantastic as he struck out Fielder and induced a weak grounder from Young to control the damage. By the time he left the game, he had pitched into the eighth and struck out 11.

There is a saying in my house - "It's hard to win when you score zero runs." The Yankee hitting woes continued today, as if there is a "tomorrow" when they can straighten this out. Robinson Cano went 0 for 4, being unable to hit the ball out of the infield. In doing so, Cano set the major league record for the longest hitless streak in the playoffs: 0 for 26. He is not accustomed to it, but the boos from Yankee fans are raining down on him now. Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Swisher each struck out twice. In the bottom of the first, Mark Teixeira doubled and Raul Ibanez walked. It was the only time in the game when back-to-back hitters reached base. It's no wonder they are swinging for the fences - their average with RISP issues are now bleeding into their average with runners on base. 

You have to feel for the Yankees pitching, which is holding the Tigers down the best they can, as well as guys like Ichiro Suzuki, Ibanez and Mark Teixeira who are contributing and getting on base, but without the help of the others, it's near impossible.  In regards to Anibal Sanchez, the Yanks made an average pitcher look like a Cy Young candidate. It makes you wonder what they are going to do against Justin Verlander.

Unfortunately, once again, the outcome of the game is determined by a bad call by the umpires. On a throw by Nick Swisher to Robinson Cano in the top of the eighth, Omar Infante was called safe on what was clearly an out. The Tigers went on to score two more runs.

Avisail Garcia got an RBI base hit off Boone Logan and Miguel Cabrera got an RBI hit off Joba Chamberlain before Cody Eppley finally struck out Delmon Young. This is another example of the need for instant replay in baseball. When close games in the playoffs are determined incompetent officiating, the game loses its meaning as a competitive sport. That's another post for another day.

So now, the Yanks' backs are against the wall. They are down two games to none, and they face Verlander on Tuesday night. They cannot seem to hit average pitching, so I cannot imagine with the plan is against Verlander. The burden falls to Kevin Long and Joe Girardi. It is their job to make sure their players are prepared and able to execute according to their skill level. Let's hope they pull off a miracle and wake up the Yankee bats. They will have to do it against one of the best pitchers in baseball. Nevertheless, that is the way it works in the playoffs - you have to beat the best with what you have.

Final Score: Tigers 3, Yankees 0

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon

My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

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