Kids Give it Away

Yankees fall to Twins, 5-4, as Bullpen Falters

Ian Kennedy looked good, but a group of young pitchers- Eric Hacker, Andrew Brackman, George Kontos, and Wilkins De la Rosa - couldn't hold the Yankees 3-0 lead. The Twins snapped a 3-3 tie with a pair of runs in the 8th and staved off a Yankees rally in the 9th, for a 5-4 victory. It was the Yankees first loss of Spring Training.

The Yankees banged out 14 hits, but after scoring a pair of runs in the first inning, and adding another in the second on a Justin Leone home run, they didn't score another run until the 9th, and that was with the help of an error.

Hacker, who had a tremendous year split between Tampa and Trenton in '08, struggled through 2 innings, allowing the Twins first run in the fourth inning. Anthony Claggett came on to get Hacker out of further trouble and added a scoreless 5th inning as well.

But then things went south. Brackman allowed a solo home run to Jason Kubel in the sixth, to cut the lead to 3-2. The Twins then tied the game with a run on three hits in the seventh against Kontos, who struck out 2, to tie the game.

Minnesota went ahead in the eighth with a pair of runs off of De la Rosa, who allowed 2 hits and 2 walks in two-thirds of an inning. Steven Jackson came on to get the final out.

* * *

With a 2 1/2 hr ride each way, the Yankees left most of their regulars home.

Jorge Posada, who had a home run and double yesterday, added two singles in today's game.

February 27, 2009

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		4	14	0
Minnesota	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	2	X		5	11	2

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Gardner, CF	2	1	2	0	1	0	0	.429
Jackson, A, CF	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	.500
Ransom, 2B	3	1	1	1	0	1	2	.167
Pena, 2B	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.250
Swisher, 1B	3	0	2	0	0	0	1	.500
Miranda, 1B	2	0	1	0	0	0	2	.400
Posada, DH	3	0	2	0	0	0	2	.800
1-Rodriguez, J, PR-DH	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	.333
Nady, RF	3	0	0	1	0	0	4	.200
Linden, RF	2	0	0	0	0	1	4	.200
Cabrera, M, LF	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	.000
Russo, LF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Berroa, SS	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	.667
Nunez, E, SS	2	0	1	0	0	0	3	.333
Leone, 3B	3	1	1	1	0	0	3	.250
Bernier, 3B	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1.000
Cervelli, C	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250
Romine, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Totals	39	4	14	3	4	4	27
1-Ran for Posada in the 5th.
BATTING 2B: Gardner (1, Baker), Miranda (1, Delaney). HR: Leone (1, 2nd inning off Baker, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Gardner 3; Jackson, A; Ransom; Pena; Swisher 2; Miranda 2; Posada 2; Berroa; Nunez, E; Leone 4; Cervelli. RBI: Ransom (1), Nady (1), Leone (1). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera, M; Ransom; Leone 2; Swisher; Jackson, A; Linden; Nunez, E 2. Team LOB: 12. BASERUNNING SB: Gardner 2 (2, 2nd base off Duensing/Redmond, 2nd base off Baker/Redmond). CS: Rodriguez, J (1, 2nd base by Mulvey/Ramos), Nunez, E (1, 2nd base by Julianel/Ramos). FIELDING DP: 2 (Leone-Ransom-Swisher, Pena-Berroa-Miranda).

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Kennedy	2.0	1	0	0	1	3	0	0.00
Hacker (H, 1)	1.0	3	1	1	2	0	0	9.00
Claggett (H, 1)	2.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Brackman (H, 1)	1.0	1	1	1	0	0	1	9.00
Kontos (BS, 1)	1.0	3	1	1	0	2	0	9.00
De La Rosa (L, 0-1)	0.2	2	2	2	2	1	0	27.00
Jackson, S	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00

Minnesota	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Gomez, CF	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	.000
Martin, CF	2	0	2	1	0	0	0	.714
Casilla, 2B	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	.250
Tolbert, 2B-RF	2	0	1	1	0	0	2	.167
Crede, DH	2	0	0	0	1	1	2	.000
a-Hughes, PH-DH	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	.333
Morneau, 1B	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	.500
1-Peterson, PR-1B	2	1	0	0	0	1	2	.250
Cuddyer, RF	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250
2-Winfree, PR-RF	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	.400
3-Plouffe, PR-SS	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Young, LF	2	0	2	1	0	0	0	.750
Kubel, LF	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	.333
Pridie, LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.333
Redmond, C	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	.250
Ramos, C	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	.000
Harris, 3B	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	.400
Valencia, 3B	2	1	2	1	0	0	0	1.000
Punto, SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Macri, SS-2B	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	.000
Totals	32	5	11	5	5	7	20
a-Struck out for Crede in the 7th. 1-Ran for Morneau in the 4th. 2-Ran for Cuddyer in the 4th. 3-Ran for Winfree in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Morneau (2, Hacker). HR: Kubel (1, 6th inning off Brackman, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Martin 2; Tolbert; Morneau 2; Cuddyer; Winfree; Young 2; Kubel 4; Valencia 2. RBI: Young (1), Kubel (1), Tolbert (1), Valencia (1), Martin (2). 2-out RBI: Kubel. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Harris; Punto; Peterson; Tolbert 2. SF: Martin. GIDP: Crede; Casilla. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING SB: Young (1, 2nd base off Kennedy/Cervelli). FIELDING E: Casilla (1, throw), Valencia (1, fielding). Outfield assists: Gomez (Berroa at 2nd base).

Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Baker 2.0 6 3 3 0 0 1 13.50 Duensing 2.0 2 0 0 2 1 0 0.00 Mulvey 2.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Delaney 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Julianel (W, 1-0) 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 Gosling (S, 1) 1.0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0.00

Hacker pitched to 3 batters in the 4th. WP: Kennedy, Mulvey. Groundouts-flyouts: Kennedy 1-2, Hacker 3-0, Claggett 2-3, Brackman 0-3, Kontos 0-1, De La Rosa 0-1, Jackson, S 0-1, Baker 3-2, Duensing 3-2, Mulvey 1-3, Delaney 0-2, Julianel 1-1, Gosling 1-1. Batters faced: Kennedy 8, Hacker 7, Claggett 6, Brackman 4, Kontos 6, De La Rosa 6, Jackson, S 1, Baker 11, Duensing 10, Mulvey 7, Delaney 4, Julianel 4, Gosling 7. Inherited runners-scored: Claggett 2-0, Jackson, S 2-0. Umpires: HP: Randy Marsh. 1B: Tim Tschida. 2B: Brian O'Nora. 3B: Marvin Hudson. Weather: 78 degrees, sunny. Wind: 12 mph, R to L. T: 3:11. Att: 7,998.