Dan Giese is Masterful, But Yanks Strand 12 in Loss to Reds

6.2ip, 4h, 0er, 0bb, 5k, 75 pitches.

When you get that type of line from your emergency starter making his Major League debut in the rotation, you should probably win the game.  Especially when you're facing another guy making his first Big League start.  But the Yankees spoiled countless scoring chances against Daryl Thompson, thus spoiling Dan Giese's masterful performance versus the Cincinnati Reds.

In the second, the Bombers loaded the bases with no one out but failed to score when Jorge Posada and Melky Cabrera both struck out and Robinson Cano fouled out to the catcher.

The next inning, the Yanks were once again set up with runners at first and second and nobody out.  Despite the fact that Bobby Abreu squared around to bunt twice later in the game with two outs and no one on, he didn't lay one down here and instead flied out to shallow left.  Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui also flew out to end the frame without scoring a run.

In all, New York left 12 runners on base and didn't score a single run even though they had the lead off man on in the first four innings.

Here are the grades from the Yankees' very disappointing 6-0 loss to the Reds on Saturday afternoon at the Stadium.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (F) Girardi didn't attempt a single bunt, steal or hit and run to get the struggling offense going and he pulled Giese from the game way too early. 

The jam in the seventh was Giese's fault but it wasn't entirely because of his pitching.  The starter's own error got him into trouble, which he almost worked out of before surrendering a two-out, two-run single to Edwin Encarnacion.  But even after that hit, the Yankees were only down 2-0 and Giese had thrown just 75 pitches. 

So why take him out?  Because pitch counts don't matter; it's all about the innings.  If the same situation arose in the fifth frame, Girardi would've left Giese in.  Even if it was the seventh and that single made it 4-2 Yanks instead of 2-0 Reds, Girardi probably would've left Giese in with just 75 pitches.  But because the Managerial Rule Book dictates that you pull your starter in that situation, Girardi felt forced to take him out.  And what happened?  Jose Veras promptly gave up a two-run homer to Corey Patterson, putting the game out of reach.

Johnny Damon, LF: (A-) 0-2 but three walks.  Damon also had an outfield assist.

Derek Jeter, SS: (A-) The Captain went 2-5 to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, but he grounded into a double play in the first, killing an early rally.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (D-) 0-4 with a walk and left five men on base.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (C) 1-4 with a double but left three runners on.

Hideki Matsui, DH: (A) Back in the lineup, Godzilla went 1-3 with a base on balls but stranded two runners.

Jason Giambi, 1B: (A) What are the chances the Yankees leave 12 men on and Giambi doesn't strand a single runner?  He actually did his job in this one, going 2-3 with a walk to break his 0-12 mini slump.

Jorge Posada, C: (F) 0-4 with a strikeout and left a ridiculous six men on base.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (F) Also 0-4 with six LOB.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (C-) 1-4 with a K and four left on.

Dan Giese, SP: (A-) Through six innings, it was one of the best starts by a Yankee this year.  The only good news to come out of this loss was that the New York rotation should be just fine with Chien-Ming Wang on the DL until September.

Jose Veras, RP: (F) His first bad outing since June 3.

Billy Traber, RP: (F) His first bad outing since April 25.  Then again, he had only pitched one third of an inning since then.

Ross Ohlendorf, RP: (F) Can you believe Girardi used four relievers in a game in which the starter reached the seventh inning with just 75 pitches?

LaTroy Hawkins, RP: (A) A perfect ninth.

Yankees Overall Grade: (D) Great starting pitching but awful hitting and terrible work out of the bullpen.  The Yankees have scored just four runs in the last three games en route to their first series loss since May 27.  Losing to the best pitcher in baseball on Friday is acceptable, but losing to a 22-year-old making his Major League Debut on Saturday is not.