The multi-purpose Yankee Stadium can host fights, too.
No winner by knockout emerged last night, but several cuts, bumps and bruises served as keepsakes from the Yankees’ 10-4 loss to the Blue Jays.
All hell broke loose in the eighth inning, after Toronto’s Aaron Hill had been plunked by Mark Melancon and Blue Jays reliever Jesse Carlson responded by throwing behind Jorge Posada. After Posada walked and scored on Brett Gardner’s double, Posada elbowed Carlson’s glove — the pitcher was backing up near home plate. Carlson yelled at Posada, who was ejected as he stormed toward the Toronto lefty. Plate umpire Jim Joyce later called Posada’s elbow to Carlson’s glove a “cheap shot.”
Both benches emptied, and one of the ugliest brawls involving the Yankees in recent seasons ensued. Manager Joe Girardi was punched in the right ear by John McDonald and also sustained a cut left earlobe. Carlson received a huge welt on his forehead. On top of that, umpiring crew chief Derryl Cousins was hit by a bottle of soda from the stands and sustained a bruised knee.
Posada seemed remorseful to a degree afterward, but stopped short of saying he was at fault for the brawl.
“It’s really something that shouldn’t happen,” Posada said. “We got carried away and hopefully we [ended] it tonight.”
Girardi said he spoke with his players after the game and reminded them this isn’t the time of year to be involved in fights. Toronto manager Cito Gaston questioned Posada’s wisdom in charging Carlson.
“I don’t know if that was too smart, because they certainly have a lot more to lose than we do,” said Gaston, whose Blue Jays are 26½ games removed from first place. “You can get a lot of guys hurt out there in a ruckus. You don’t need that kind of stuff going on.”
Posada and Carlson can both expect suspensions. The first sign of ugliness occurred in the sixth, when Sergio Mitre drilled Edwar Encarnacion, who had homered two innings earlier.
In the eighth, Melancon plunked Hill in the back. It was Melancon who incurred the wrath of the Red Sox last month when he drilled Dustin Pedroia in the shoulder after throwing over his head.
Melancon denied he was throwing at Hill.
“My command hasn’t been as good as it normally is,” Melancon said. “This ball, it’s the same as the last one against Boston. I let go of it too early and pushed it.
“Both those situations, there was no reason for me to hit a guy. Last time in Toronto, I walked in two guys. That just goes to show my control hasn’t been good.”
In the bottom of the eighth, Carlson threw behind Posada, who exchanged heated words with the pitcher. Both benches emptied, but order was restored before any punches were thrown.
“The ball is thrown at me — I was surprised the ball is thrown at me to tell you the truth,” Posada said. “We weren’t throwing at anybody, and it’s unfortunate.”
Mitre again proved he probably isn’t the answer if Andy Pettitte’s barking left shoulder doesn’t recover and the Yankees need a fourth starter for the playoffs.
Of course, that’s akin to saying Eliot Spitzer probably should avoid the on-line classifieds if he again seeks elected office.
Mitre’s few bright moments for the Yankees this season have been outweighed by his last two starts. Last night the right-hander threw plenty of strikes to the Blue Jays, too bad they were of the crushable variety. Mitre surrendered a career-high four home runs, sending the Yankees sinking toward defeat.
The loss kept the Yankees’ AL East magic number at 12, even as their magic number to clinch a playoff berth shrunk to six. The Yanks complete a 10-game homestand tonight with a rematch against the Blue Jays.
“I have a lot of respect for the Yankees and that organization,” Gaston said. “[Last night] is just one of those things that is unfortunate.”