Yankees playoff hopes hit by loss to Blue Jays

NEW YORK: The New York Yankees' hopes of gaining an automatic playoff spot suffered a setback with a 4-1 home defeat by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.

The result left the Yankees trailing American League East Division leaders the Boston Red Sox by two games.

"You could definitely tell it was a makeup game," Yankees losing pitcher Andy Pettitte told reporters. "We just weren't able to get much going. Their guy threw the ball well, and unfortunately, I gave up those three runs early. That was really the ballgame."

Pettitte was filling in for Roger Clemens, who was nursing a slight hamstring injury. He allowed four runs and five hits over six innings in the Yankees' final home game of the regular season.

Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Litsch, a late stand-in for AJ Burnett, tied the Yankees down by throwing five scoreless innings. He allowed five hits and one run over seven-plus innings.

"I got told (Sunday) night," Litsch told reporters when asked about the pitching change. "So, I was just trying to go out and just pitch my game."

The Yankees, who have six games remaining, should still make the post-season through a wildcard place by finishing second in the division. The New Yorkers are comfortably clear of nearest rivals the Detroit Tigers.

*The Minnesota Twins shut out Detroit 2-0 to all but eliminate the defending American League champions from the post-season. One more Detroit loss or Yankees win would end the Tigers' playoff hopes.

*Marlon Byrd's two-run homer in the sixth inning led the Texas Rangers to an 8-7 home defeat of the Los Angeles Angels, who a day earlier had wrapped up the AL West title.

Prince Fielder hit his league-leading 48th home run and Milwaukee moved within three games of first place in the NL Central with a 13-5 victory against St Louis on Monday night.

Brewers manager Ned Yost was ejected for the second consecutive day even though his team gained a half-game on Chicago, who was off Monday, in the division. Chicago's magic number - the combination of Cubs wins and Brewers losses needed to clinch the division title - remained at four.

Milwaukee scored four runs off starter Adam Wainwright (13-12) before he got his first out of the game. The four-run first included a three-run homer by Fielder.

Milwaukee added five runs in the fifth and three in the sixth, including a a two-run homer by rookie Ryan Braun, his 33rd.

Brewers starter Dave Bush (12-10) gave up five runs in 6 2-3 innings.

Albert Pujols, who had missed five straight starts because of a strained left calf muscle, started and went 0-for-3 with a walk.

Agencies

(China Daily 09/26/2007 page24)