Yankee Losing Streak Reaches Five Games

After rolling through last season with such ease, the New York Yankees don’t know how to react to a five-game losing streak.

The defending World Series champions are on their longest losing streak since 1997 after falling, 12-4, to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday at New York.

“That’s what happens to other teams,” catcher Joe Girardi said when asked if the Yankees were frustrated. “This team isn’t used to losing.”

The Yankees’ losing streak is their longest since September 1997, when they lost six straight. Their five-game home skid is their longest on one homestand since September 1990.

“Certainly, it’s very frustrating,” Bernie Williams said. “Nothing’s falling for us. It’s just one of those things. We know we’re not the team we were last year. We have a lot of talent but a lot of things happened last year that aren’t going to happen this year.”

The Yankees (20-15) have lost eight of 12 games and have as many losses as they had in their first 62 games last season. They slipped into a tie with the Boston Red Sox for first place in the American League East.

“Frustration is what I would say it is more than pressing,” said interim Manager Don Zimmer.

Chicago’s John Snyder (6-1) won his sixth straight decision while holding the Yankees to two runs and eight hits over the first six innings.

Yankee starter Ramiro Mendoza (3-4) struggled through the first five innings, allowing a career-high nine runs and matching his career high with 11 hits allowed. He walked two and struck out five.

The White Sox scored six times in the second inning against Mendoza as Greg Norton hit a two-run homer and Magglio Ordonez tripled in two runs. Mike Caruso and Jeff Liefer each had RBI singles in the rally.

Boston 6, Toronto 5--The Red Sox, as hot as the Yankees are cold, got a pinch-hit two-run homer from Mike Stanley in the sixth inning and roughed up the Blue Jay bullpen to win at Toronto.

“Everybody has stepped up,” Boston Manager Jimy Williams said. “Juan Pena has won his first two major league starts, Pedro Martinez can’t pitch any better than he has in his last two starts. Nomar [Garciaparra] had a 10-RBI game, Varitek had a big game Friday and Stanley got a big two-run homer today.”

In Saturday’s victory, Brian Daubach and Darren Lewis each had three hits.

Their share of the lead in the American League East marks the first time the Red Sox have been in first place after April since 1995.

Jose Cruz Jr. went two for four with a home run and two RBIs for the Blue Jays, who lost their third in a row.

Oakland 6, Minnesota 5--Another hot team is the Athletics. This victory at Oakland was their fifth in a row and 10th in 12 games. They are three games over .500 for the first time since July 27, 1996.

Matt Stairs bailed out reliever Doug Jones by hitting a homer to lead off the bottom of the ninth, and reliever T.J. Mathews (5-0) got one out for the victory.

Until then, it was shaping up to be an embarrassing way to blow a game.

The Twins cut the lead to 5-4 in the eighth on Ron Coomer’s second home run of the game and tied it on a bizarre three-base throwing error by Jones.

Chad Allen reached on an infield single behind first base with two outs, then took off for second when Jones turned his back and walked to the mound with the ball after getting to first too late to catch Giambi’s throw.

Caught by surprise, Jones wheeled and tried to throw Allen out at second, but no one was covering the bag. The ball rolled into shallow center field and Allen scored when A’s center fielder Jason McDonald was playing too deep to get to the ball in time to make a play at the plate.

“[Shortstop] Miguel [Tejada] and I faked each other out,” Jones said. “He started to the bag, and I started to lob the ball. Then he stopped. It was like Barnum & Bailey.”

Jones was relieved when Stairs ended the circus.

“It was like being forgiven,” Jones said.

Cleveland 12, Detroit 7--David Justice hit a grand slam and matched his career high with five RBIs as the Indians won at Detroit.

It was the fifth time Justice as had five RBIs and the second this season. He has hit in five straight games, going eight for 20 (.400) with three homers and 12 RBIs.

“My timing has been pretty good,” Justice said. “With hitters it’s timing and tempo and getting good pitches to hit.”

Manny Ramirez homered and drove in three runs to raise his major league-leading total to 47 as the Indians upped their major league-best record to 26-9. It was their sixth straight victory and eighth in nine games.

Frank Catalanotto and Jose Macias homered for the Tigers, who have lost five straight and eight of 11. Macias’ two-run home run in the ninth was his first major league hit in his third career at-bat.

Kansas City 11, Seattle 10--Rookie Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer and Johnny Damon added a solo shot in the eighth inning to give Royals a victory at Seattle.

Both homers came off reliever Jose Paniagua (2-3), who has three of the Mariners’ five blown saves this season.

Rookie Carlos Febles went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and three RBIs for the Royals. Ken Griffey Jr. hit his AL-leading 13th home run of the season for the Mariners.

Griffey’s homer in the first helped give the Mariners a 3-0 lead.