The LoHud Yankees Blog

The game was tied at 1-1 with two outs and the bases loaded for Oakland’s Landon Powell in the seventh inning. Alfredo Aceves was up 0-2.

Powell is a backup catcher, a .250 hitter with 16 RBI all season. But when Aceves left a fastball too far over the plate, he hit it hard the other way for a two-run single. Oakland had a lead they added to and never gave up.

Joe Girardi thought Aceves was trying to put the pitch high. But Aceves said he was trying to go inside and it ran back in over the plate.

“I’m mad,” he said. “But that happens sometimes.”

Girardi defended leaving Andy Pettitte in the game in the inning with three right-handed hitters coming up. Pettitte said he felt fine. Obviously it’s a second guess to say he should have made the switch earlier.

Like Joe Torre did in 2007, Girardi sometimes treats Pettitte like he’s the pitcher he was seven years ago. But managers have to operate with a certain degree of trust in their veteran players.

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Meanwhile, it’s Family Picnic Day on the Field. Most of the players and their families are hanging out. Kids are playing Whiffleball or soccer. A-Rod is here with his daughters and Kate Hudson. Mo is pitching to his crew in center, Johnny and Michelle Damon are getting photos taken, etc. CC Sabathia III can rake. So can Karter Chamberlain.

I’m sure some Neanderthal fans will be upset that the Yankees are having a good time after losing a game. But most players put games behind them, wins or losses, in a few minutes. A great team is going to lose 62 times. If you beat yourself up every time, it’s going to be a long season.

Thanks for reading today. I’m off tomorrow but we’ll have the lineup up by 11 a.m. or so.

UPDATE, 5:46 p.m.: CC Sabathia just threw a football 50 yards in the air. Mo also pitches his kids inside.

UPDATE, 6:09 p.m.: They’re playing Badlands now at the picnic. I very much approve.

YANKEES (59-37)
Jeter DH
Gardner CF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Swisher RF
Cano 2B
Cabrera LF
Ransom SS
Molina C

Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (8-5, 4.62).

ATHLETICS (40-55)
Kennedy 3B
Cabrera SS
Hairston LF
Garciaparra DH
Cust RF
Davis CF
Crosby 1B
Ellis 2B
Powell C

Pitching: LHP Gio Gonzalez (1-2, 9.33).

TIME/TV: 1:05, YES.

STATE OF THE ‘STRIPES: The Yankees have won eight straight and 21 of their last 26. Only the Dodgers (61-35) have a better record and that gap is closing. The Yankees are also tied with Boston for the second-best run differential in the game at +77. The Dodgers lead at +111. Tampa Bay is fourth at +76.

STREAKS: The Yankees are looking to match their season-long streak of nine wins in a row from May 13-21.

NICE BREAK: The Yankees are undefeated since the All-Star break, outscoring the opposition 37-20.

IT’S ALL ABOUT PITCHING: The Yankees have a 2.25 ERA since the All-Star break and their starters are 6-0 with a 2.35 ERA.

ANOTHER LOST SEASON: The Athletics have lost 17 of their last 25 games and 24 of the last 39. Hollywood is said to be making a movie about Billy Beane based on the book Moneyball. Maybe they already did. It was called Titanic.

PUNCHING BAGS: The Yankees are 4-0 against Oakland this season and 9-1 going back to last year. They have won eight straight in the series.

SLUGGING SHELLEY: Shelley Duncan was 4 for 7 with two homers and three RBI in a doubleheader last night for Tripe-A Scranton. He is hitting 25 homers and 75 RBI in 84 games this season. His OPS is .943.

THE GREATEST HUGHES SINCE HOWARD: Phil Hughes has thrown 19.2 scoreless innings in his last 15 appearance, striking out 22. He has a microscopic 0.74 ERA as a reliever.

THE MELKMAN DELIVERS: Melky Cabrera broke out of a slump with three hits last night. He has three three-hit games, all coming at Yankee Stadium.

COKE IS IT: The Yankees are 13-1 in the last 14 games Phil Coke has appeared in. Lefties are hitting .188 against him. But they do have five home runs.

MOVING UP: Today will be Jeter’s 2,076 game, matching Bernie Williams for fifth on the franchise’s all-time list.

PETTITTE POWER: Andy Pettitte is 11-5 with a 3.24 ERA against Oakland in his career.

ON THE iPOD RIGHT NOW: Your Hand In Mine by Explosions In The Sky. Instrumental stuff from the band that does the Friday Night Lights soundtrack. Good and soothing on a Saturday morning. Now it’s time to grab a Red Bull and go to the clubhouse.

Back with more later. It’s a beautiful day, stop reading the internet and go outside.

UPDATE, 11:48 a.m.: I’m sure there is the usual irrational panic about the lineup. But it’s a game after a night game and the Yankees don’t have a day off coming until Aug. 3. The Yankees are in the middle of a stretch that will see them play 17 straight days and 33 out of 34 days. Would you rather give guys a rest against Oakland at home or in Tampa? Or against Boston?

Meanwhile, Girardi said that A-Rod would get a day off tomorrow or at best be the DH.

UPDATE, 1:24 p.m.: We’re in the first inning at the Stadium on a beautiful day with a big crowd. Even the Legends seats are mostly full for once. Enjoy the game wherever you are.

UPDATE, 1:42 p.m.: Nine up and nine down for Andy. Three strikeouts, four groundouts and a pop-up. Only Mark Ellis (line drive to short) hit the ball well. He’s working that cutter again.

UPDATE, 1:47 p.m.: Gio Gonzalez is a walk away from perfection. Nice tidy game so far. Three innings in 38 minutes.

UPDATE, 2:17 p.m.: Meky breaks up the Gonzalez no-hitter in the fifth inning (yes, the fifth inning) with a bunt single. Gonzalez twisted his left foot trying to make a play but he will stay in the game. Something to keep an eye on.

UPDATE, 2:20 p.m.: Five innings in 68 minutes. How about that?

UPDATE, 2:25 p.m.: Andy Pettitte’s last 13.1 innings: 8 hits, 1 run, 15 K’s.

UPDATE, 2:34 p.m.: Gritty! Gutty! Brett Gardner with an RBI triple to right. Yankees lead 1-0.

Watching him run the bases is fun. He had that standing up easy.

UPDATE, 2:39 p.m.: Bad job by Tex and A-Rod, leaving Gardner stranded at third. 2-0 would look huge in this game. But Pettitte will take the lead. One more inning than Hughes and Mo?

Alex looks like he needs a day off. He’s 1 for 9 with five strikeouts in the last three games.

UPDATE, 2:52 p.m. Tampa Bay has pulled primo SS prospect Reid Brignac out of his AAA game. A trade could be close.

Meanwhile, Girardi just visited the mound here in the seventh inning and left Pettitte in the game to have Rajai Davis with runners on first and second and one out.

UPDATE, 2:54 p.m.: Mistake. Davis rifles a single up the middle to tie it. With three right-handed hitters in a row, why not bring in Aceves?

UPDATE, 3:00 p.m.: Now Oakland leads 3-1. Instead of facing three righties in a row, Aceves got to switch hitter Landon Powell and he went oppo to left field for a two-run RBI single.

Girardi should not have let Pettitte talk him out of it.

UPDATE, 3:08 p.m.: The game has gotten out of hand as Aceves got ripped. Some people actually booed when Oakland went up 6-1. Never mind that the Yankees have won eight straight, 21 of 26 and 44 of 64. They booed. Classy. What great fans in New York, right?

UPDATE, 3:14 p.m.: Turns out Reid Brignac was pulled for not hustling according to Rays scribes. Everybody is working on mysteries without any clues as the trade deadline gets closer, I guess.

Yankees trail 6-1 and have three innings to catch up. Let’s see if they can do it.

UPDATE, 3:31 p.m.: That inning right there is why Gardner should be playing CF every day. He covers acres more ground than Melky.

UPDATE, 3:27 p.m.: Jeter with a Pony League home run over the aux scoreboard in right field. That doesn’t even get to the warning track across the street. But the Captain knows where to hit them here.

What a joke right field is. That’s 159 homers this season, one fewer than all of last season. And it’s July 25.

UPDATE, 3:41 p.m.: That’s didn’t take long. Tex with a legit bomb to right. Yankees back in it, down 6-4.

UPDATE, 3:44 p.m.: Jeter has 11 homers, nine at Yankee Stadium and eight to right field.

Swishalicious with a bloop double and the Yankees will bring the tying run to the plate. Cano against All-Star Andrew Bailey.

UPDATE, 3:51 p.m.: Cano with a runner in scoring position? No chance. Pop to right, inning over. Yanks need two in the ninth to tie.

UPDATE, 3:57 p.m.: Bruney does his job. We go to the ninth with the Yankees down 6-4. Back later with clubhouse reaction.

UPDATE, 4:04 p.m.: Is A.J. baking a pie? Melky and Johnny walk, Posada to the plate with a chance to win it.

HOPE Week is over and the Yankees went 5-0. If you think that is just a coincidence, be advised that the players and manager Joe Girardi aren’t so sure.

The Yankees — every single one of them — participated in the events this week and help enrich the lives of people not as fortunate as most of us. That the team got a roll at the same time seems fitting in many ways.

Do yourself a favor and check out this video from The Today Show on Hope Week.

Here are A-Rod, CC and Tex introducing HOPE Week on The Today Show.

Congratulations to the Yankees and particularly to Jason Zillo, who thought up and organized the whole thing with the full support of Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi.

Scoff if you will, but there has been a good vibe around this team all season. This is a tighter group than in recent years, the manager has had the right touch and the newcomers have fit in seamlessly. Events like HOPE Week only emphasize that.

Does that translate to success on the field? Look at the standings.

For Joba Chamberlain, his post-break success has been all about tempo. He and the Yankees won again last night.

Chien-Ming Wang is worried his season might be over This notebook also has an update on A-Rod feeling spry.

On the eve of Rickey Henderson’s Hall of Fame induction. Sam Borden writes that the game’s greatest leadoff man was quite a character as well.

Joba Chamberlain pitched 7+ innings for the Yankees tonight and threw 100 pitches. The game lasted two hours and 59 minutes, which in Yankee Standard Time is pretty fast.

The reason for mentioning this is to point out the importance of pace and rhythm in pitching. After a series of … well, let’s call them productive conversations … Chamberlain now gets the ball, gets the sign and throws it. He was literally wandering around the mound earlier this season or shaking off too many pitches. Every pitch was a three-act play.

But what we saw tonight and in his previous start was a pitcher willing to challenge hitters. Joba walked Ryan Sweeney and Daric Barton in the fifth inning. Then he fanned Mark Ellis and Eric Patterson on 11 pitches. Two weeks ago that jam would have led to two runs.

“I told him after the game how much better his pace was,” Derek Jeter said. “That makes a big difference.”

Chamberlain also is sticking with his best stuff — a four-seam fastball, a slider and an occasional curve — with runners in scoring position. No change-ups, no sinkers, no nibbling around the corners.

Here’s Jorge Posada talking about it:

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Because Joba has been around for three years now, it’s easy to forget he’s 23 and still learning his craft. The bottom line is this: He is 9-3 with a 3.42 ERA as a starter and that is impressive.

Just keep in mind, he has started 31 times and thrown 168 innings, not quite a full season. He’s only going to get better.

Thanks to everybody for reading tonight. Back at it tomorrow.

YANKEES (58-37)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF

Pitching: RHP Joba Chamberlain (5-2, 4.05).

ATHLETICS (40-54)
Kennedy 3B
Cabrera SS
Hairston LF
Cust DH
Suzuki C
Sweeney RF
Barton 1B
Ellis 2B
Patterson CF

Pitching: LHP Brett Anderson (5-7, 4.25).

TIME/TV: 7:05, YES.

STATE OF THE ‘STRIPES: Celebrate good times. The Yankees have won seven straight and 20 of their last 25. They are 2.5 games ahead of Boston in the AL East. The Red Sox open a series at home tonight against Baltimore.

LET’S SEE IT AGAIN: The Good Joba showed up against the Tigers on Sunday as he allowed one run on three hits over 6.1 innings and whiffed eight. He was dancing in the upper 90s late in the game.

NOT JUST ANOTHER ROOKIE: After cuffing around Vin Mazzano last night, the Yankees have 21-year-old Brett Anderson tonight. He has been dominating of late. Anderson has allowed one run on 11 hits in his last four starts, a span of 26.1 innings. He has walked seven and struck out 25.

The Yankees hit Anderson hard back on April 22. He allowed five runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings. Jeter, Melky and Matsui homered off him as he kicked a 3-0 lead. That was the game the Yankees walked-off in 14 innings when Melky homered off Dan Giese.

PITCHING PROWESS: The Yankees have a 2.29 ERA since the break. Here’s a breakdown:

Starters: 46.2 innings, 43 hits, 13 earned runs, 18 walks, 35 strikeouts.
Relievers: 16.1 innings, 10 hits, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, 16 strikeouts.

At 4.37, the Yankees have their lowest ERA of the season. They’re now ninth in the AL.

ALL A’S AGAINST OAKLAND: The Yankees are 3-0 against Oakland this season and have won seven straight dating back to last season.

HOMER HAPPY: Yankee Stadium has allowed 157 home runs this season, three fewer than the old Stadium allowed all of last season.

WELCOME BACK: Mariano Rivera was off last night. He has not allowed a run in his last 14.2 innings.

THEY’RE HOT: Johnny Damon is 8 of 23 since the break. … Mark Teixeira is 9 of 27 with five extra-base hits (three of them homers) and seven RBI. … Jorge Posada is 6 of 20 with four RBI and five extra-base hits.

IT MUST BE ALL THAT RUNNING FROM THE PAPARAZZI PAYING OFF: Alex Rodriguez is 3 for 4 on stolen bases since the break. That’s another sign that his hip is feeling much better.

HOME COOKING: The Yankees have won 27 of their last 36 games at home.

Back with more later on.

UPDATE, 4:30 p.m.: Reports out there that Roy Halladay is headed to Philadelphia. Deal sounds close.

UPDATE, 4:43 p.m.: Girardi just said Wang seems unlikely to pitch this season. Previous best-case scenario was Sept. 1.

UPDATE, 6:09 p.m.: Just spoke to Chien-Ming Wang. One word: despondent. He may go see Dr. James Andrews on Monday night. Wang called the last year “very frustrating.”

He had a second MRI on Tuesday when he went to see Dr. Altchek. They’re waiting on Dr. Andrews to review the film and consult with the other docs to decide what is next. It certainly doesn’t sound good for Wang.

UPDATE, 6:46 p.m.: Via AP, here is an update on Ian Kennedy:

New York Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy hopes to pitch in a minor league game this season. The right-hander, who underwent surgery on May 12 to remove an aneurysm from beneath his right biceps, made 50 throws at 90 feet to minor league coach Dan Borrell on Friday.

“It feels really good,” Kennedy said. “Doesn’t feel like anything ever happened.”

The 24-year-old Kennedy was pitching for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season when he experienced numbness in his pitching hand.

“I don’t have anything going on with my hand at all,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy understands he might not be ready to pitch in a game before the minor league season ends in early September. His return might have to wait until the Puerto Rico winter league, where he plans to pitch for the second straight year.

UPDATE, 7:19 p.m.: We’re underway and it’s 1-0 Oakland after half an inning.

UPDATE, 7:57 p.m.: Hey, Melky got a hit. He had been 2 for 20 since the break. Yankees are in business, second and third with one out for the Captain.

UPDATE, 8:09 p.m.: Yankees 2-1 and Joba looks sharp. He has retired 9 of 10 since the Cabrera double in the first inning.

UPDATE, 8:34 p.m.: Joba’s last two starts: 11.2 innings. 5 hits, 3 earned runs, 14 strikeouts

UPDATE, 8:37 p.m.: Yankees have another threat cooking here in the fifth. They could use some cushion.

UPDATE, 8:51 p.m.: How in the world is that a double? The idea that an outfielder has to touch the ball to have committed an error is ridiculous. But, regardless, the Yankees have a chance to add to their lead.

UPDATE, 8:52 p.m.: And they do. 4-1 Yankees.

UPDATE, 9:03 p.m.: Jobamania running wild. 7 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 6 K.

UPDATE, 9:10 p.m.: Jeter and Theodore S. Williams: 2,654 hits each. Tied for 68th all-time.

UPDATE, 9:22 p.m.: Joba stays out for the 8th inning. So much for controlling his innings I guess.

UPDATE, 9:25 p.m.: A little too far for Joba. Walk and a HBP with no outs. He hands a little bit of a mess off to Phil Coke.

UPDATE, 9:55 p.m.: Yankees open it up here in the eighth, taking a Bruney-proof 8-1 lead. Meanwhile the plucky Orioles are threatening in the ninth against Papelbon in Boston.

So it seems that a Japanese company has invented robots that play baseball.

(I thought we had that in America. It’s called Mark Teixeira.)

University of Tokyo professor Masatoshi Ishikawa says the hitting robot only swings at strikes. But so far the pitching robot is only up to 25 mph.

I call on Hideki Matsui to return to Japan and smash all the baseball-playing robots before they take over the world

Got this from a reader named Dan in Portland, Ore. Thanks, Dan.

A Harvard student is doing research for her doctorate thesis and is asking baseball fans their opinions reegarding the singing of God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch.

As you may have heard, the Yankees are now legally prohibited from keeping people from moving freely about the stadium during God Bless America. In the old Stadium, security officers would literally barricade people into sections while the song was played, forcing them to participate whether they liked it or not.

If you’re interested in participating in the survey, go to this link.

According to this story, the New York Times Co. plans to sell its 17.75 percent share of the Red Sox.

This will come as great relief to the baseball writers who work for the Times and the Boston Globe. Nothing worse than having to cover a team your company owns, even if it’s just a percentage.

What do you say? Let’s all chip in and buy it together. We’ll use our clout to make Fenway serve only non-alcoholic beer.

According to various reports, it sounds like Matt Holliday could be on his way to St. Louis soon.

He was 1 for 4 with a double against the Yankees last night.

Meanwhile, we’re at the time of the year when fans send me their trade proposals. Most are on the lines of this: Send Toronto Edwar Ramirez, Melky Cabrera, Kei Igawa, John Rodriguez, Mike Dunn, Ramiro Pena and Humberto Sanchez and get back Roy Halladay.

If only it worked that way. Quantity never trumps quality in a trade. This isn’t trading baseball cards, it’s trading baseball players. If the Yankees want to get a star, they’ll need to trade somebody who can become a star.

Because he says it’s unlikely, I fully expect Brian Cashman to make some kind of deal. That’s usually how it works. But don’t expect a big name, maybe a No. 5 starter type. And it might not be until August as waiver deals will be easier to make.

UPDATE, 12:33 p.m.: Deal done. Holliday will not be playing for Oakland tonight. Holliday to the Cardinals for third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Shane Peterson and right-handed pitcher Clayton Mortensen. Oakland kicks in $1.5 million.