Yanks leave everyone on base in loss

Here’s a good stat for you: Teams that leave 12 runners on base without scoring a run lose 100 percent of the time.

We could complain about Dan Giese’s error. We could bemoan the state of the soft underbelly of the Yankee bullpen. We could question A-Rod’s missed tag on a ball that wasn’t going to be a double play anyway. But the reality is that the Yanks’ offense couldn’t muster anything, and had Dan Giese given up just one run, the Yanks would have lost anyway.

For the game, Dan Giese pitched exceptionally well. Despite the loss, he far exceeded expectations and has earned himself a few more starts in the Bronx. He lasted 6.2 innings and gave up 3 runs — none earned — on 4 hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out 5. He threw 53 of 75 pitches for strikes.

And therein lies the rub. While I hate to criticize Giese for his masterfully pitched game, his last pitch showed something of a mistaken approach. After throwing two curve balls that Edwin Encarnacion fouled back, Giese was ahead 0-2. It was the perfect opportunity to throw a few pitches out of the zone to get Encarnacion out on something junky and off the plate.

Instead, Giese came in with an 86-mph fastball that stayed straight, and according to Gameday, arrived at the plate right in Encarnacion’s wheelhouse. The two-run single would be all that the Reds would need. It was the perfect example of a pitcher throwing too many strikes.

In the end, the Yanks lost because they scored no runs. That’s all there is to it. They’ve scored just four over their last three games and are due for a big offensive day. And, hey, they’re still 7-2 over their last nine games, and as I said last night, I’d take that any time of year.