This was not the Joba Chamberlain the Yanks have grown accustomed to seeing. He labored – four innings 91 pitches, 49 strikes, four walks.
And yet he kept the Yankees in the game only allowing two runs.
“I wasn’t finishing stuff in the beginning,” said Chamberlain, who struck out six. “I just battled through it and I felt better later on. I just wasn’t finishing, getting everything up. But that’s your job sometimes as a pitcher, to keep your team in the game and limit runs as much as you can, and I did an OK job with that. I had to work hard in those four innings.”
Chamberlain said this is all part of the growing process.
“I’m not going to be perfect every time,and that’s one thing you have to learn from and react. And it’s actually probably a step forward. Now I know how I feel when I’m not getting out front. Next time I’ll know how to correct that.”
Wen Alex Rodriguez homered Monday, it was the 534th of his career and tied him with Jimmie Foxx for 14th place all time.
“Jimmie Foxx, I wish I got a chance to see him play because he’s always in every potential record. He’s always right in the mix. The Double X. That’s all I know. It’s nice,” Rodriguez said of his historic homer that left him two shy of his next career target, a guy named Mickey Mantle.
Joe Girardi said he is “optimistic” about Hideki Matsui, who should take batting practice Thursday or Friday. Matsui is on the disabled list with a knee injury.
Rangers outfielder Milton Bradley ended a nightmare run with a fifth-inning double off Dan Giese. Bradley had struck out six straight times – four times Monday then twice last night against Chamberlain.
Brett Gardner again started in left. He went 0-for-4 and Jeter was ready to pinch hit for him in the ninth.