No one would like to erase his last start more than Sergio Mitre. The right hander didn’t look all bad, but he didn’t get any breaks from his defense, and when his team needed him to bail them out, he didn’t deliver. His final line — 4.1 IP, 11 H, 11 R, 9 ER, 2 BB, 5 K — will destroy his line for the rest of the season. But he can still salvage it with a few quality starts down the stretch.
The hope today is that the defense plays up to its standard, and that Mitre can avoid some of the situations he faced last time. I’d like to imagine his line would have been a bit prettier had the Yanks not been playing on Toronto’s turf. Even so, Mitre has a lot to prove in his last few starts, and with Andy Pettitte missing some time, he should get another three or four starts in this season.
Taking the hill for the Jays is a man who needs no introduction. This will be Doc’s fifth start against the Yankees this season. In three of those four he’s pitched a complete game, and in the remaining one he lasted seven. The Yanks got to him twice, though, while Doc has dominated in the other two. The series is tied 2-2, and the Yankees aren’t putting any of their regulars on the bench for this one.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Hideki Matsui, DH
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Nick Swisher, RF
9. Brett Gardner, CF
And on the mound, number forty-five, Sergio Mitre.