Sun, Jul 20 2008
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Published May 09, 2008 02:12 am - NEW YORK — Throughout most of baseball history there have been far fewer Yankees killers than Yankee victims. Tribe’s lack of offense catches up to it in finale Plus, Byrd’s continued struggles against Yankees lead to three-run defeat SHELDON OCKER Akron Beacon Journal NEW YORK — Throughout most of baseball history there have been far fewer Yankees killers than Yankee victims.
Paul Byrd can count himself among the latter group, inasmuch as he has a career record of 1-5 with and 4.75 earned-run average against the Bronx Bombers, including Thursday’s 6-3 loss that denied the Indians their first sweep of the New Yorkers in 19 years. Percentage-wise, no team has treated Byrd with more disrespect than the Yankees, one of only five American League teams with a winning record against Byrd. But the Bombers made it difficult for him twice this season, using the same hammer, the home run ball. By the time Byrd left Thursday’s game, with one out in the seventh, three Yankees had gone deep, including, of course, Jason Giambi. Giambi tormented Byrd each time the competitors faced one another. On Thursday, Giambi put the finishing touches on a three-run rally in the fourth inning by whacking a two-run homer into the seats in right. Johnny Damon began the inning with another blast to right. In fact, all five runs Byrd gave up were the result of home runs, with Robinson Cano delivering the final blow by going deep with nobody on in the seventh, seconds before manager Eric Wedge led Byrd away for good. “That was the difference, they hit the ball out of the park,” said Wedge, who also included in his summation Wilson Betamit’s solo homer off Masa Kobayashi, who replaced Byrd. “Byrdie was OK, but the big ball hurt him.” In Byrd’s two starts against the Yankees, who are through playing the Tribe in the regular season, he gave up nine runs in 12 innings, posting a 1-1 record. All nine runs came on home runs, and Giambi hit three of them, driving in five runs. “He’s really hit me this year,” Byrd (1-3, 4.28 ERA) said. “I don’t know when I’ll face him again, but hopefully I’ll get him out.” For his career, Giambi is 6-for-19 against Byrd with four homers, one every 4.75 innings. Byrd doesn’t possess a fastball that radiates white heat or a breaking pitch that buckles the knees. His effectiveness is based on throwing pitches to spots. If he misses, it’s not unusual for the ball to end up over the fence. “I just couldn’t keep the ball down,” Byrd said. Wedge did not lay the loss at the feet of Byrd. In most Indians defeats, the pitching is the least of their problems, though Byrd certainly didn’t advance the cause of victory Thursday. “Offensively, we were really having trouble with Mussina changing speeds, adding and subtracting,” the manager said. “Byrd gave us a chance to win, but we weren’t able to take advantage.” When Byrd left the game, the Tribe was trailing by two runs, 5-3. 
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