Yanks Lose Finale to Sox, Need One More Starter

This is why the Yankees need Jarrod Washburn.

The Bombers didn't give starter Sidney Ponson his usual 8.5 runs of support Sunday night, and it revealed something they have known since adding him to the rotation in late June: he's not as good as his 6-2 record may indicate.

Ponson surrendered seven runs on ten hits in just four innings against the Red Sox, as the Yankees fell 9-2. 

Washburn may not appear to be a steal with a record of 5-9 and a 4.50 ERA, but the fact that he has given up more than two earned runs only once in his last nine starts makes him a slight upgrade over both Ponson (4.59 ERA) and fellow back-end starter Darrell Rasner (4.83 ERA).

Nevertheless, despite the terrible game by Sir Sidney, New York still could've had a chance to win Sunday if not for several blown offensive opportunities.

Down 4-0 in the top of the third, Derek Jeter came to the plate with runners on first and second and nobody out.  Instead of bunting, the Captain grounded into a double play and the Yankees didn't score.

The Yanks once again had a runner at second with no one out in the fourth, when Alex Rodriguez led off with a double.  But Xavier Nady failed to advance him to third with less than two outs and the team once again didn't plate a run.

But the fifth inning was the Bombers' real chance to get back into the game.  After scoring twice to cut the deficit to five, the Yankees still had the bases loaded with none out.  This is a situation where New York HAS to score two more runs, but they didn't score again as A-Rod lined out, Nady flew out (and Johnny Damon inexplicably didn't attempt to score from third), and Robinson Cano grounded back to the pitcher.

Here are the grades from the Yankees' 9-2 loss to the Sox.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (D) You don't have to get all the runs back at once.  The third inning is early enough in the game where the Yankees could've played small ball and tried to chip away at the lead.  But Girardi didn't have Jeter bunt and the skipper really didn't do much of anything to get the offense going the rest of the way.

Johnny Damon, DH: (A-) I don't understand why Damon didn't try to score from third on Nady's fly out to center in the fifth.  The Yankees were down five, so he really had nothing to lose, and Jacoby Ellsbury doesn't have the greatest of arms.  As it turned out, Damon would've scored easily as the throw in was up the first base line.  Other than that, Damon went 2-4 with a strikeout.

Derek Jeter, SS: (C) The Captain had an RBI dribbler down the third base line in the fifth, but he was retired in his other three at bats.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (A) Abreu was 1-3 with a double and a bases loaded walk.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (A) A-Rod was 2-4 with a double and was robbed of another extra base hit when Mike Lowell caught his line drive with the bases juiced in the fifth.

Xavier Nady, LF: (F) It's been a rough start for Nady's career as a Yankee.  He went 0-4 on Sunday and is yet to record a hit with the team.  I have a feeling this .325 hitter will come around, though.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (F) Cano's 0-4 broke his eight-game hitting streak.

Richie Sexson, 1B: (C-) As expected, Sexson has done little to help the Bombers against lefties.  He went 1-4 with a bloop single to right on Sunday and is now just 2-11 with the Yankees.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (C+) Cabrera had a good night in the field, picking up an outfield assist and tracking down a deep fly ball late in the game.  He also went 1-4 at the plate and scored a run.

Jose Molina, C: (A) Molina was 2-3 with a run scored.

Chad Moeller, C: (INC) I guess Girardi wanted to give Molina a couple innings off behind the plate in garbage time, especially since he took a bat off the head on a David Ortiz follow through.  Moeller went 0-1.

Wilson Betemit, SS: (INC) Betemit replaced Jeter at short in the eighth.

Sidney Ponson, SP: (F) For the first time in his five starts with the team, the Yankees didn't win.  Ponson didn't have it on this night, which is expected from time to time from a guy who was nowhere on the team's radar two months ago.

Dan Giese, RP: (C) Giese saved the rest of the bullpen, going four innings in relief while giving up just two runs on five hits.  Good job by Girardi here.

Yankees Overall Grade: (D-) The June Yankees returned for one night in Boston, as the team left seven men on base and could only score twice, despite picking up ten hits.  However, taking two of three at Fenway is a major victory and winning eight of nine to open up the second half is great.

Jordan Schwartz is Bleacher Report's Yankees Community Leader. His book "Memoirs of the Unaccomplished Man" is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and authorhouse.com.