Just like that the Yankee offense turned back into a pumpkin last night as they were blanked by the Royals, 7-0. It’s not that they didn’t put runners on base–once again they did that very well. They simply could not get a big hit. Hideki Matsui failed twice with runners on. In the first inning he popped up a 3-0 pitch with runners on the corners and in the the fifth he grounded out, swinging at the first pitch, with the bases loaded.

Then there was Kei Igawa. More mediocrity. Igawa gives up hits when he’s ahead in the count, and runs with two men out. He’s an entirely frustrating pitcher to watch and with Phillip Hughes about set to return to the majors, it is likely that Igawa’s days in the rotation are numbered. And if Joba Joba gets called up to pitch in the pen, the running man Igawa might find himself back in the land of Dunder Mifflin.

No soup for Alex Rodriguez either, who is sitting on career homer #499.

Hey, the Yanks were due for a stinker. They lose a game to the Red Sox who pounded the Indians in Cleveland. The Bombers now head to Baltimore to face the O’s, who are coming off a three-game sweep of the Rays.