After a sizzling first two playoff rounds, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez reverted to his previous postseason struggles.
In last night’s 6-1 loss to the Phillies in the opening World Series game, Rodriguez went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts against Cliff Lee.
Rodriguez entered the 2009 postseason with a career .279 average, 7 home runs, and 17 RBIs in 39 playoff games.
In the first two rounds this year, he was on fire, hitting .438 with 5 homers and 12 RBIs.
No. 3 hitter Mark Teixeira was also 0 for 4 and struck out twice hitting in front of Rodriguez.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said it was just too much Lee.
“Cliff Lee hit his spots tonight and was very tough,” Girardi said.
The Yankees insist that their confidence remains high.
“We don’t like the situation,” leftfielder Johnny Damon said. “This was just one game.”
Moving up hit list. Derek Jeter now has 42 career World Series hits after going 3 for 4 with a double last night. He is tied for 10th on the all-time World Series hit list with Elston Howard, Babe Ruth, and Eddie Collins.
Jeter still has a ways to go for the top spot, 71 by Yankee Yogi Berra, who played in 14 World Series.
Afterward, Jeter praised the Phillies. “They are the best team we have played all year,” he said. “They are in the World Series for a reason.”
Relief woes. Yankees reliever Phil Hughes continues to struggle in the postseason. Hughes faced two batters in the eighth inning, walking Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, who both scored. Hughes entered the game with a 0-1 record and 5.79 ERA this postseason.
In the ninth, Brian Bruney gave up two runs and recorded only one out.
“I have a lot of confidence in our bullpen,” Girardi said. “The first two walks hurt us.”
Roster changes. Girardi adjusted his team’s roster before the game, adding outfielder Eric Hinske and Bruney.
To make room for the additions on the 25-man roster, the Yankees dropped catcher Francisco Cervelli and outfielder Freddy Guzman.
“When we get to the National League city, pinch-hitters are going to be important,” Girardi said before Game 1. “By adding Hinske, we felt that we added another pinch-hitter.
“The other thing is, in the National League, sometimes there’s more pitching changes because you have to hit for them, so we thought it was important to add another pitcher.”
Hinske, who struck out for the last out in Game 5 of the 2008 World Series to give the Phillies the championship, is the second player in major-league history to compete in the Fall Classic for three different teams in successive years. He played for Boston in 2007 and for Tampa Bay last year.
Don Baylor (Boston, 1986, Minnesota, 1987, and Oakland 1988) was the other player to be on three different World Series teams in as many years.
Hinske batted .226 with 7 home runs and 14 RBIs in 39 games for the Yankees after being acquired from Pittsburgh on June 30.
Bruney went 5-0 with a 3.92 ERA in 44 games, all in relief.
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