Even five homers by a road-game B-squad couldn’t overcome a nightmare start for Jaret Wright as the Yanks fell to the Pirates 9-8

Lineup:

Bubba Crosby CF
Miguel Cairo 2B
Jose Posada C
Andy Phillips 1B
Kevin Thompson CF
Mitch Jones LF
Melky Cabrera RF
Marcos Vechionacci 3B
Ramiro Pena SS

Subs: Eric Duncan 1B, Kevin Howard 2B, Wil Nieves C, Kevin Reese PH

Pitchers: Jaret Wright, Scott Proctor, Ron Villone, Matt Childers, Ramiro Mendoza

Big Hits: A lead-off homer by Bubba Crosby (1 for 3), a pair of dingers by Mitch Jones (3 for 5, the third hit being a double), and a pair of ninth-inning taters by Eric Duncan (2 for 2, the first hit being a double) and Kevin Thompson (1 for 2). Miguel Cairo (1 for 3) and Melky Cabrera (1 for 4) doubled.

Who Pitched Well: Ron Villone plunked a batter in a hitless, walkless sixth; Ramiro Mendoza threw a hitless eighth, striking out two and walking one; Matt Childers pitched around one hit for a scoreless seventh.

Who Didn’t: Jaret Wright was flat out throwing batting practice. His line says it all: 3 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 0 K

Oopsies: A throwing error by Ramiro Pena and a passed ball by Jorge Posada.

Ouchies: Robinson Cano skipped the game due to a root canal. Joe Torre, in reporting that Tanyon Sturtze felt fine following his return to game action on Sunday, told the media that Sturtze wasn’t honest with the team about his shoulder problems last year.

WBC: Bernie went 0 for 3 leading of for Puerto Rico in their first loss of the tournament. In the US’s loss to the still undefeated Korea, Derek Jeter went 3 for 4, Alex Rodriguez went 0 for 5 with seven men left on base, and Johnny Damon rode pine behind Matt Holliday and Randy Winn.