Yankees Recap: Yankees Swept on Bernie Williams Day

Throughout the course of Bernie Williams illustrious 16-year career, he and his fellow teammates didn’t experience many afternoons like what the Yankees endured on Saturday when they were destroyed by the Texas Rangers 15-4. It was the Yankees fifth straight loss, and their ninth tally in the loss column over the teams last ten games. On the same day the Yankees looked to put an end to this ugly stretch, they honored Bernie Williams by retiring his no. 51 and giving him a plaque in monument park during a pre-game ceremony. Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Joe Torre were back in Yankee stadium to attend the ceremony and the atmosphere just reeked of a Yankees victory! Once the ceremony ended, the Yankees sent Chris Capuano (0-1, 12.00 ERA) to the hill to oppose Yovani Gallardo (3-6, 4.53 ERA) to try and save the Yankees from complete embarrassment over Memorial Day Weekend and holding off a potential sweep on Bernie Williams Day.

Non the less, the Texas Rangers picked up right where they left off, and in the top of the first inning, the new Yankee killer Prince Fielder sent a deep double to the centerfield wall that plated Shin Soo Choo, giving the Rangers the first run of the game and a 1-0 lead.

The Yankees answered back in their half of the first inning on a big two out two RBI single off the bat of Brian McCann that plated Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez, giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead, and their first lead of the long weekend.

Alas, the lead wouldn’t last long, as Adam Rosales, the Texas Rangers’ no.9 hitter belted a two run homer to left field in the top of the second, putting the Rangers up 3-2, and they wouldn’t look back.

Capuano settled down a bit, and despite pitching the Yankees through the third inning with no damage, *insert sigh of relief here*, he failed to pitch the Yankees deep into the ball game for the second straight game. His final line was 4.1 innings pitched, 8 hits, three runs (two of which were earned) and four strikeouts after Chasen Shreve came on in relief with one out and runners on first and second in the top half of the fifth inning. Shreve was able to pop both Mitch Moreland out in foul territory and Elvis Andrus out in right field to end the frame.

In the bottom half of the fifth, Yovani Gallardo struck out the side, fanning Jose Pirela, Brett Gardner and Chase Headley is consecutive order.

Chosen Shreve came back out to pitch the sixth, getting Leonys Martin to fly out to Brett Gardner and Robinson Chirinos to ground out to Didi Gregorius, but was replaced by Justin Wilson after coughing up a two out walk to Adam Rosales. With Delino DeShields at the plate, McCann gunned down Rosales as he attempted to steal second base to end the top half of the sixth.

Again the Yankees did nothing in their half of the inning, and Wilson came on to pitch again in the top of the seventh, giving up a leadoff triple to DeShields, who scored on an RBI single by Choo. Choo came around to score when the next batter, of course Prince Fielder, belted an RBI single off the right field wall, and before you knew it, it was now 5-3 Texas. Any one else wonder where recent call up Jacob Lindgren was during this time?

Dellin Betances was called upon in relief with no outs and Fielder on first, and got Adrian Beltre, Mitch Moreland and Elvis Andrus to pop out, extending his streak to holding batters 0-for their last- 26 against him. Amazingly, Betances is yet to give up an earned run this season and we’re one week removed from June! That’s nasty.

Keone Kela replaced Gallardo to start the bottom half of the seventh and gave up a lead-off single to Garrett Jones, bur managed to retire Chris Young and Didi Gregorius on infield pop outs. With two outs and a man on first, Girardi decided to pinch hit Stephen Drew for Jose Pirela, and of course Drew grounded out to end the inning. Where are you Rob Refsnyder?

David Carpenter continued to struggle, as he replaced Betances to start the eight, and immediately gave up a leadoff double to Leonys Martin. Chirinos moved Martin over to third on a sacrifice bunt. One batter later, the Rangers attempted a suicide squeeze that resulted in a missed bunt and a Martin out by way of a run down. Carpenter again gave up a single to the next batter, but managed to get out of the inning on a force out at second off a DeShields grounder to short.

Ex-Yankee Ross Ohlendorf and his bizarre windup came on to pitch for the Rangers in the bottom of the eighth and he scattered two base runners on a base hit and a walk. With two outs and two on, Sam Freeman replaced Ohlendorf to face McCann, and ultimately got McCann to pop out to end the inning.

Andrew Miller pitched a hitless ninth inning including a strikeout to Prince Fielder on four straight sliders. However, it’s important to note that J.R. Murphy came on to catch as a defensive replacement for Brian McCann, who looked to have injured something in his right leg earlier in the ball game, which is certainly something to monitor as we move forward.

In the bottom of the ninth, Shawn Tolleson was given another ninth inning opportunity for the Texas Rangers, and he struck out the side, sending the Yankees to 22-22 and handed them their sixth straight loss for the first time since 2011.

The Yankees are right back at it tomorrow for a Memorial Day Matinee where Nathan Eovaldi (3-1, 4.73 ERA) will square off against Jeremy Guthrie (4-2, 4.75 ERA) and the Kansas City Royals at 1:05 pm on ESPN.

Yankees Recap: Yankees Swept on Bernie Williams Day

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