This time, the defensive implosion didn't happen until the fifth inning, when the Indians gift-wrapped three runs for the Yankees. Here's what happened:
- Phillips lined out to shortstop. Hardest hit ball of the inning. One out.
- Guiel blooped a single to center.
- Cairo hit a fly ball to medium right, but Franklin Gutierrez flat missed the ball. Error #1.
- Cabrera hit a made-to-order double play grounder to Peralta, but it went off his glove. Error #2, Run #1 scored.
- Jeter bloops a single to right. Runs #2 scored.
- Giambi flies out to right. Run #3 scores, two outs.
- Rodriguez "singles" on a chopper to third. Boone doesn't catch the ball cleanly, so we'll never know if he could have made the play. I'm calling it Error #3.
- Posada mercifully grounds out to second. Three outs.
Anyway, everyone's favorite catcher won the Monster (tm) Final Vote, and Travis Hafner finished third. For those who haven't looked at Hafner's stat line recently:
270 AB, .319/.461/.656, 17 2B, 24 HR, 69 BB, 56 SO
Meanwhile, we'll get to see pitchers hit next week in Pittsburgh. Why the All-Star Game doesn't have the DH every year, even in National League parks, is beyond me.