\
Originally published 4/17/15
http://fieldgeneral.weebly.com/new-york-yankees/bullpen-blows-up-winning-effort-by-eovaldi-arod-and-beltran
By Barry Millman
Another rubber game, another flat tire.
But at least this time the leak that let the air out of a potential win didn't come from any of the usual suspects, and hopeful signs abounded the team was leaving its disastrously inept first week behind as the Yankees lost to the Orioles 7-5.
The Yankees were ahead 3-2 after five strong innings from starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi who struck out nine, walked three and allowed just two runs while scattering eight hits.
Alex Rodriguez belted a tape measure home run for his second of the season, leaving him just four shy of tying Willie Mays' career 660 and a $6 million bonus the Yankees won't have any choice but to pay him.
Carlos Beltran smashed a two-run double that just missed going over the wall, and after five innings with a stout bullpen carrying 1.73 ERA into the game, the game looked winnable.
But middle relievers David Carpenter and Justin Wilson, the bridge to the back of the pen, blew up the bridge instead for five runs in the sixth inning. leaving the visitors down 7-3 with three innings to try and get it back.
They made a good try at it. In the eighth, Brian McCann drove in Chase Headley on a sacrifice fly and moved Mark Teixeira to third base, who then scored on a wild pitch, making it 7-5. In the final frame, they managed to put two runners on despite strikeouts by Stephen Drew and Gregorio Petit, on a Chris Young double and an Ellsbury walk. But the threat was snuffed out when Headley hit into a fielder's choice.
3-6. 156 to go.
What's next: Friday, 7:10pm @ Tropicana Field vs. Tampa Bay Rays
