Mark Melancon doesn’t want to be known for hitting batters, but that doesn’t change the fact his 2009 resume is topped by pitches that drilled Dustin Pedroia and Aaron Hill.
The latter incident planted the seeds for Tuesday’s benches-clearing brawl between the Yankees and Blue Jays. Toronto reliever Jesse Carlson later threw behind Jorge Posada, who elbowed the lefty after scoring from second base, starting the brawl.
“I’m just trying to earn a spot and the last thing I want to see is somebody on either side to get hurt,” Melancon said before the Yankees beat Toronto 5-4.
Manager Joe Girardi said he checked on Hill’s condition before the game. Hill, who got drilled in the back, was in the starting lineup and finished 1-for-5.
“I tried to make sure Aaron Hill is OK and I feel bad for my guy, Mark Melancon, because I know he’s not trying to hit him,” Girardi said. “I’m concerned about Mark, because I know it has happened a couple of times and I know he feels extremely bad about it.”
Melancon, a rookie, indicated growing pains may be to blame.
“I don’t think I’ve walked this many people in my life, let alone hit this many people,” Melancon said. “It’s just being out of sync a little too much.”
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Hideki Matsui‘s homer off Scott Downs in last night’s eighth inning was his 12th against a lefty pitcher this season, tying him with Tampa Bay’s Carlos Pena for the most among AL left-handed hitters.
Matsui also became the fourth Yankee to reach the 25-homer plateau this season, joining Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher and Alex Rodriguez.
The Yankees last had four players with at least 25 homers in 1938 (Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey and Joe Gordon).
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Girardi disputed the replay evidence that seemed to show that Toronto’s John McDonald landed a punch to his right ear during the brawl. The manager indicated any contact McDonald made with him was incidental.
“[McDonald] sought me out today and we talked about it,” Girardi said. “He’s a peacemaker. McDonald did nothing wrong. He tried to be a peacemaker like 95 percent of the people out there.”