Lackluster Yankees Fall to Braves 5-2

No-show bats waste Wright effort

The Atlanta Braves entered last night's game with the Yankees just 4-20 in the month of June. That record was mainly the product of a 10 game losing streak. None of that mattered last night as the Braves beat an undermanned, uninspired Yankees team 5-2. Left-hander Horacio Ramirez scattered 8 hits over 8 innings and allowed just 1 run. The Yankees did their part, going 1-6 with runners in scoring position (the one hit could have been scored an error).

The loss came at the expense of Jaret Wright who had one of his better outings this season. Facing his former team, Wright gave up a run on 5 hits in 6 innings, while walking 2 and striking out 4. Wright through just 90 pitches, but Joe Torre went to his overworked bullpen anyway. The move blew up in his face. Adam Laroche led off the 7th against Ron Villone and promptly belted his 12th home run of the season.

The Yankees halved the lead in the bottom of the 7th when Jorge Posada singled, moved to third on a pair of ground outs and scored on Melky Cabrera's infield single that was misplayed by Chipper Jones at third. The Yankees gave the run right back though in the 8th when Edgar Renteria led off with a single and came around on an RBI single by Jeff Francoeur off of T.J. Beam.

The Braves put the game away in the 9th scoring two more off of the completely ineffective Kyle Farnsworth. Farnsworth's ERA rose to high 4.98 after pitching 2/3 of an inning. Since May 3 when his ERA stood at 2.53, Farnsworth has pitched 23 2-3 innings, allowing 27 hits, 16 earned runs (6.08 ERA), walked 17, blown 4 saves and lost 4 games. He's managed one win (which came after a blown save) and one save. Clearly he's lost out on the mound right now. Though he downplayed it after the game he also seemed to have issues with Jorge Posada last night as well.

At this rate it's going to be a very long summer in the Bronx.

Melky Cabrera was one of the few bright spots for the Yankees last night. He drove in both runs, including hitting his 2nd Major League home run in the 9th. He also had a chance to pick up another assist, but his throw home on a base hit by Wilson Betemit could not be handled by Posada.

An MRI on the Robinson Cano's left hamstring revealed a small tear and Cano was placed on the DL retroactive to Monday. The training staff is confident that Cano should be able to return when he is eligible.

Jorge Posada had an up and down night. He went 2-4 at the plate, hitting the ball solidly each time up and was robbed of a third hit on a leaping grab by 2nd baseman Pete Orr. Behind the plate Posada had a passed ball and would have had a 2nd one if Adam Laroche had not thought he had fouled a third strike.

Chien-Ming Wang faces John Smoltz in the rubber game of the series this afternoon (1:05 on YES).