The end is nigh…

Ladies and gentlemen, sharpen your ice skates and dust off those winter coats as hell has just frozen over. Mariano Rivera — I repeat MARIANO RIVERA — blew a save at home. Mo had converted 51 consecutive save opportunities at The Stadium(s), with his last blown save in the Bronx coming on August 13, 2007. The end is certainly near…look out for droughts and fires in the near future.

Strange things were definitely afoot in Sunday’s 6-3 setback to the Twins. First, Joba and Mo (who gave up a bases-loaded walk and a grand slam!!!) combined to give up five runs in the eighth inning. Next, Randy Winn and Ramiro Pena singled to lead off the ninth before Jeter, Gardner and Tex struck out to end the game. To steal a line from Vince Lombardi, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OUT HERE?

Furthermore, A-Rod and Cano combined to go 0-for-8 and left five men on base. I think Cano might need a day off, though his defense continues to be stellar.

That was an ugly game, to say the least. On the bright side, though, the Yanks still took the series 2-1 and are 12-1 against the Twins since 2009. Also, it was Minnesota’s first win in New York since July 4th, 2007. You can’t win ’em all. Plus, Mitre was solid and D-Rob had a pretty good outing. So there were some positives, but that bullpen implosion stung like a bitch.

However, over the course of a 162-game season you have to realize that there are going to be games like this…but it still doesn’t stop me from wanting to do this. I hope this loss will motivate the team to step it up and shit all over the Red Sox, Rays and Mets this week. Here are the pitching matchups for the next week:

1. Monday vs. Boston: Hughes vs. Dice-K
2. Tuesday vs. Boston: CC vs. Beckett
3. Wednesday vs. Rays: AJ vs. Wade Davis
4. Thursday vs. Rays: Pettitte vs. Shields
5. Friday at Mets: Javy vs. Niese
6. Saturday at Mets: Hughes vs. Pelfrey

LET’S GO YANKS!! Put this loss behind you and keep up the .649 play.