Derek Jeter Creeps Closer to 3,000, but Yankees Struggle Against Rays

The last thing Derek Jeter wanted was his New York Yankees to be distracted by his personal achievements, but that may have been exactly what happened Thursday night in the Bronx.  

Entering the game three hits shy of the magical 3,000 mark, Jeter expressed to Dick Groch, the scout that signed him in 1992, that he wanted to get the hits out of the way that game.  His goal looked extremely realistic as he lined the first pitch he saw off Rays starter Jeff Niemann into left-center field for a double.  

That was the only bright spot for the Yankees, as the team looked flat throughout the game, hoping Jeter would get his next two hits as quickly as possible.  Niemann's stuff was good, but at-bats were seemingly given up in a fashion rarely seen by such a veteran lineup.  To make matters worse, a usually electric Bartolo Colon didn't have it, grinding out 5.2 innings and five runs off of 10 sharply hit balls by the Rays.  

The Rays' 6'9" right-handed hurler showed throughout his performance what his team is all about.  Led by confident manager Joe Maddon, the team, which cut payroll over the off-season and dumped most every star on its roster short of David Price and Evan Longoria, continue to compete with quality pitching and outstanding defense.  Their infield, which may be difficult to name without help, picked many ground balls and liners that could have been hits and turned them into relatively easy outs.  

In the sixth inning, Robinson Cano launched a hanging curve ball into the right-field stands for his 15th home run, bringing the deficit to 5-1.  That would be the Yankees' only significant hit pertaining to the game, as the score finished respectively.

Before the formality, however, Jeter nearly struck again in the most unlikely fashion.  Needing two baserunners to get an at-bat, the Captain waited on deck as Brett Gardner battled Rays closer Kyle Farnsworth.  Gardner was bested, striking out on a pitch in the dirt.  The ball sneaked to the backstop, allowing Gardner to reach first.  Jeter grounded a very slow chopper to third, but was barely gunned down at first for the game's final out.  He ended the game two hits from 3,000, finishing 1-5.  

If Jeter fails to find 3,000 while the Yankees continue their lethargic at-bats over the next few games, he pursuit for a tremendous milestone could drive the team into a major slump as they head into the All-Star break next week.  His proximity to the magic number brings immense pressure to himself and the team, as heightened media (hard to believe in New York City) and an HBO documentary crew following his every move make this milestone one of the most pressured in baseball's history.