If I told you that CC Sabathia pitched only four innings in tonight's game, while C.J. Wilson pitched a full seven, you might be tempted to think the Rangers won. If I told you that the Rangers held a 5-0 lead in the sixth, and a 5-1 lead in the eighth, you might also have reason to be assured of a Rangers' win.
However, the Yankees' bullpen held the Rangers scoreless for 5 innings, while the Rangers gave up a seemingly-never-ending string of hits in the eighth. Before the Rangers could get three outs, the Yankees scored six runs; just enough to flip the game and secure the win.
Hamilton tagged CC for three runs on a laser shot that scored the first three Rangers' batters. Young doubled two more in in the four to pad the Rangers' lead at 5-0.
The Yankees hit a seemingly-innocuous homerun (Cano) in the seventh, but after C.J. Wilson left the game, all hell broke loose. The first seven batters reached for the Yankees to start off the eighth inning, turning their deficit into a lead.
Ron Washington made 5 pitching changes (yes, 5; tying an ALCS record) in the eighth inning in a futile attempt to stem the tide of the Yankees' bats, but he left his best pitcher in the bullpen, where he would remain for the entirety of the game. I don't care WHAT the playbook says; when you hold a lead in the late innings, the game should not end and you SHOULD NOT LOSE with anyone other than your best pitcher in the game.
The bases were loaded, A-Rod was up with no one out, the Rangers still held a 3-run lead, what was Washington waiting for? A more important situation? Bring in your best pitcher and lose with him, if you are going to, but it's inexcusable for the Rangers to lose a game as important as today's without using Feliz.
And then you have it. Another day, another Yankees' win. The Rangers will try to recover tomorrow.
