ARLINGTON – When Joba Chamberlain allows Dr. James Andrews to examine his right shoulder today, his team will be very close to going on life support.
“It’s critical now,” Johnny Damon said after last night’s 8-6 loss to Texas at Rangers Ballpark dropped the Yankees to 6 1/2 games out of first place and 3 1/2 lengths off the wild-card pace. “We had an opportunity to inch closer [Monday] night and [the Rays and Red Sox] won [last night]. That’s not a good combination. This [10-game] road trip is very important and we have started 0-2.
With 49 games left, neither deficit is impossible to overcome. However, if you watched the Yankees struggle for runs against neophyte lefty starter Matt Harrison, know that Chamberlain isn’t visiting Andrews to have his armpit shaved and understand the Yankees’ lineup has been inconsistent all year, you understand the gravity of the situation.
“Every game is important,” said Alex Rodriguez, who banged into a game-ending 5-4-3 double play in the ninth after doing the same in the fourth. “We can’t go into panic mode but we have to go into every game like it’s our last.”
With Chamberlain likely headed for the disabled list, Andy Pettitte can’t pitch like he has in the past two outings.
“My job is to take us deep into games and it’s extremely disappointing I am not able to do that,” said Pettitte (12-9), who gave up five runs and six hits in five frames. Pettitte was rocked for nine runs and 11 hits in 51/3innings in his previous outing. “It hurts me in my gut. I am sick. I felt like I let everybody down.”
Pettitte walked Michael Young with two outs in the first and gave up a homer to Josh Hamilton, who upped his MLB-best RBI total to 108. Pettitte then surrendered a leadoff triple to Brandon Boggs in the second that led to a run.
Down, 8-2, in the eighth, Richie Sexson pulled the Yankees within two runs with a grand slam. And when Derek Jeter walked leading off the ninth, the Yankees had a chance to steal a victory. However, Eddie Guardado caught Bobby Abreu looking at a 3-2 pitch and Rodriguez grounded into a double play.