4-0 despite a big loss

Yes, I moved to 4-0 this year at Yankee Stadium…but at what cost?

The Yanks slugged their way to a 9-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, but that wasn’t the big news. Neither was their opening of a three-game lead in the division. Nor the Sox losing and falling 6 1/2 back. It wasn’t even A-Rod blasting his 598th career dingy. No. The big news Sunday was Andy Pettitte, he of the 11-2 record and 2.88 ERA, going down with a Grade I strain of his left groin. Although Grade I strains are the best-case scenario, Erik Boland is reporting that Cashman said Pettitte will miss 4 to 5 weeks and will be replaced in the rotation by Sergio Mitre.

Pettitte just had to steal the thunder on Ramiro Pena’s 25th birthday, didn’t he.

"I felt like I landed a little awkward and I felt a little burning sensation in there. As I stood there I felt something aching me and I tried to throw the warm-up pitch; but as I tried to bring my left leg over it didn’t feel good at all…I was hurt, I was hurt pretty bad. I hope that I feel great tomorrow. I’m being pretty realistic when I say they’re pretty cautious here. We’ll just have to see what happens, hopefully in the next two days it gets a lot better."

Because I am too drunk to write a coherent post, here are some facts. Some fun, some not so fun:

• Pettitte in his last three starts against the Rays: 0-2, 11 2/3 IP, 15 R (12 ER), 21 H, 9 BB, 7 K. Let’s hope he doesn’t face those clowns in the postseason.
• The Yanks hit their 22nd triple (Cano) of the year, they had 21 all of last year and 20 in 2008. They haven’t had 40 three-baggers in a season since 1983.
• It was Girardi’s 250th win as manager of the Yanks.
• The Yanks are 13-2 this season when A-Rod hits a home run, and 15-3 when Pettitte starts.
• Every Yankee who played reached base at least once.
• AJ apologized to his teammates for Saturday’s what-have-you and is optimistic that his Kevin Brown episode won’t keep him from making his next start on Friday against the Royals.
• The Yanks got three innings of one-hit relief, and three strikeouts, from D-Rob and CHoP. Boom Boom Boone and Joba both threw  1 2/3 innings and gave up five total hits (with five Ks) and a run each.