Yanks drop another, lose 3-0

The Yankees dropped their second straight to the Cleveland Indians and fell to a game under .500 tonight at The Stadium.

BATTLE OF THE STARTERS


ON THE MOUND:

Chien-Ming Wang started for the Yanks and pitched pretty good . In 7 innings he allowed just 3 runs on 5 hits, and walking a total of three while striking out 4. ..In my opinion, these are the games you have to win for your number one starter. He gives you seven strong with just 3 runs, you need to at least put at least a run on the scoreboard in support. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opponent. ..


Kyle Farnsworth and Jonathan Albaladejo both pitched scoreless innings in relief, though Alba was bailed out with a nice defensive play by Jose Molina. The bases were loaded at the time and Travis Hafner hit a slow roller in front of home plate, Molina quickly picked it up got the force out at home and off balanced turned a double play getting the 3rd out at first.


THE OFFENSE:


Cliff Lee clearly outdueled Wang in a pitchers battle allowing no runs on 6 hits, while striking out a total of 7 batters and walking none. Yanks had some opportunities but were too laid back for a pitcher who's consistently attacking the strike zone.

In the 5th, Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano reached on one-out singles, but Lee struck out Morgan Ensberg swinging and got Jose Molina to fly out, ending the threat.

The Bombers also left two in scoring position in the sixth, when Hideki Matsui blooped one into left on a tough 1-2 curveball, stranding Bobby Abreu and Shelley Duncan. A total of 7 overall.

Bobby Abreu: 2 for 4

Shelley Duncan: 1 for 4

Hideki Matsui: 1 for 4

Melky Cabrera: 1 for 4

Robby Cano: 1 for 4

Morgan Ensberg: 1 for 3


The Indian pen took over and finished what Lee had begun, retiring 6/7 of the last Yankee batters faced.


PLAYER OF THE GAME:


CLIFF LEE (7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 0.81 ERA)


POST GAME INTERVIEW:


YANKEES' CAPTAIN ON C. LEE:


"He was throwing strikes, and we couldn't be too patient with him, because he wasn't walking anybody," shortstop Derek Jeter said. "He wasn't trying to fool us. He came after us. We couldn't get anything going offensively."


LEADOFF MAN ON C. LEE:


"I thought in the first inning he was pretty nasty," Damon said. "His fastball had some life and some movement. They had a lead, and he just kept attacking the strike zone. I'd say his record is definitely well deserved."

"His fastball was a little flatter, and we just weren't able to capitalize," he said. "If we did hit a ball hard, it was on the ground, and the grass slowed it up. He did exactly what he needed to tonight."

"That's two straight days our offense has been pitiful," said Johnny Damon , who is 0-for-9 in the last two games.

"They had a lead and he just kept attacking the strike zone," Damon said. "He did exactly what he needed to do."

MANAGER'S THOUGHTS:

"You want to make him work, but it's tough when you're 0-2 all the time," Girardi said. "You want to be patient and try to get a good pitch to hit, but he's living on the corners and he's living ahead, and he's able to pitch in and out. He's able to move the ball around, and it makes it difficult to have long at-bats against him."

"It's frustrating, because that's what you ask your pitchers to do," he said. "You ask them to give us an opportunity to win games. Both nights they've done that."

"A lot of nights that's good enough," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He gave us seven good innings. Unfortunately we couldn't score any runs for him."

WANG ON HIS CONTROL:

"I tried last time to use the sinker in and outside, but today the control was not too good. I was behind in the count," Wang said.