Next Year Mike
Esteban Loaiza became the fifth 20-game winner in the majors Wednesday, and the Chicago White Sox roughed up Mussina on their way to a 9-4 victory over the New York Yankees. Mussina's second bid for his 200th career victory was ruined when he gave up eight runs in the sixth inning.
It was only the fourth loss in the last 18 games for the Yankees, but it doesn't matter much. They clinched their sixth straight AL East title Tuesday night but are still competing with Oakland for best record in the league.
Still, the Yankees wanted to get Mussina (17-8) his 200th victory, especially after Hurricane Isabel washed out his first try. The Yankees were tied 1-1 with Baltimore last Thursday when the game was called in the fifth inning because of a steady rain and the imminent arrival of winds up to 35 mph.
Mussina's start was pushed back a day - which makes him likely to pitch Tuesday's postseason opener - so this was his last shot this year at 200. Despite a quick turnaround from Tuesday night's game - which clinched the division - all but one of the Yankees regulars were in the lineup. Even catcher Jorge Posada, who normally sits when there's a day game after a night game, started.
Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams homered in the second to give Mussina an early 3-0 lead, and it looked as if that might be enough. Mussina allowed just two hits in the first five innings, and struck out five. But the White Sox were chasing a milestone of their own. Loaiza is one of the feel-good stories in baseball this year, going from a non-roster invitee in spring training to the AL starter in the All-Star game, and he desperately wanted his 20th victory. Only two other Mexican-born pitchers - Fernando Valenzuela (21-11) and Teddy Higuera (20-11) - have won 20 games, and they did it back in 1986.
Loaiza had lost his previous three starts, but he was solid against the Yankees. After allowing those three runs in the second, he gave up just two more hits. He struck out seven without allowing a walk in seven innings.
The White Sox finally bailed him out in the sixth inning. Frank Thomas and Carl Everett hit RBI doubles before there was an out. Mussina struck out Brian Daubach, but then Valentin homered to right on a full count. Chicago wasn't done, either. After Willie Harris hit an RBI single, and Lee followed with an RBI double to make it 8-3. Antonio Osuna relieved, and finally got the last two outs to get the Yankees out of the inning.
Mussina didn't help himself out much, however, he gave up a season-high eight runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Chicago's nine hits in the sixth were the most allowed by the Yankees in a single inning this year.
The Yankees are now 98-60 for a .620 winning percentage.
White Sox 9, Yankees 4
It was only the fourth loss in the last 18 games for the Yankees, but it doesn't matter much. They clinched their sixth straight AL East title Tuesday night but are still competing with Oakland for best record in the league.
Still, the Yankees wanted to get Mussina (17-8) his 200th victory, especially after Hurricane Isabel washed out his first try. The Yankees were tied 1-1 with Baltimore last Thursday when the game was called in the fifth inning because of a steady rain and the imminent arrival of winds up to 35 mph.
Mussina's start was pushed back a day - which makes him likely to pitch Tuesday's postseason opener - so this was his last shot this year at 200. Despite a quick turnaround from Tuesday night's game - which clinched the division - all but one of the Yankees regulars were in the lineup. Even catcher Jorge Posada, who normally sits when there's a day game after a night game, started.
Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams homered in the second to give Mussina an early 3-0 lead, and it looked as if that might be enough. Mussina allowed just two hits in the first five innings, and struck out five. But the White Sox were chasing a milestone of their own. Loaiza is one of the feel-good stories in baseball this year, going from a non-roster invitee in spring training to the AL starter in the All-Star game, and he desperately wanted his 20th victory. Only two other Mexican-born pitchers - Fernando Valenzuela (21-11) and Teddy Higuera (20-11) - have won 20 games, and they did it back in 1986.
Loaiza had lost his previous three starts, but he was solid against the Yankees. After allowing those three runs in the second, he gave up just two more hits. He struck out seven without allowing a walk in seven innings.
The White Sox finally bailed him out in the sixth inning. Frank Thomas and Carl Everett hit RBI doubles before there was an out. Mussina struck out Brian Daubach, but then Valentin homered to right on a full count. Chicago wasn't done, either. After Willie Harris hit an RBI single, and Lee followed with an RBI double to make it 8-3. Antonio Osuna relieved, and finally got the last two outs to get the Yankees out of the inning.
Mussina didn't help himself out much, however, he gave up a season-high eight runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Chicago's nine hits in the sixth were the most allowed by the Yankees in a single inning this year.
The Yankees are now 98-60 for a .620 winning percentage.
White Sox 9, Yankees 4
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