Yanks Go Yard Recap: New York Yankees On Brink After Loss To Giants

On a day that saw a fantastic ceremony honoring Mariano Rivera and a day that saw Andy Pettitte‘s final regular season start in pinstripes, the Yankees just couldn’t come up with the clutch hit they needed as they dropped the game 2-1 to the Giants and fell to four games out of the wild card with just six left to play. Their elimination number currently sits at three games.

Sep 22, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte (46) waves to fans before leaving the game in the eighth inning of MLB game against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees lone run came in the third inning when Mark Reynolds hit his 20th homer of the season. Pettitte didn’t allow a baserunner until the fifth when he walked Pablo Sandoval, and then gave up the lead in the sixth when Ehire Adrianza hit his first homer of the year.

The Yankees had their chances. With first and second and two outs in the sixth, Curtis Granderson struck out. In the seventh, with runners on second and third, Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki struck out.

The Giants took the lead in the eighth when Sandoval doubled and scored on Tony Abreu‘s double. The Yankees had another chance in the eighth. Alex Rodriguez led off with a single and Zoilo Almonte ran for him. Robinson Cano doubled, so they had second and third. Alfonso Soriano hit a groundball to third and Almonte was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a costly play. Granderson struck out and Eduardo Nunez followed with a single, but Cano would be thrown out at the plate.

YGY Player Of The Game: Sandoval

After a day off tomorrow, Tampa Bay makes one more trip to the stadium. Matt Moore will face Hiroki Kuroda at 7:05.

Notes: Rivera got a rocking chair and $100,000 check to his foundation among other gifts.