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It was a rough night to be a pitcher in the Bronx last night. Nine pitchers in total were used in the contest between the Yankees and Red Sox. Of the nine, five gave up runs in the 11-9 Yankees win.

The starters were not good. Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka   had a bad first inning in which the Yankees scored five runs. The righty lasted 4.2 innings, giving up nine hits. Three of those nine were doubles. The Yankees scored seven runs off Matsuzaka before he was taken out with two outs in the fifth.

In real life, if you buy a product that doesn't do what it's supposed to, you can return it. If you purchase a blender that doesn't mix food, or a lawnmower that doesn't cut grass, you can usually get a refund or exchange it for one that works.

Baseball teams don't have that luxury.

Whew….

It’s funny how long losing streaks feel compared to winning streaks.

Thanks to Mike Pelfrey, the Mets obtained a much needed victory over the Braves.

Big Pelf went deep into this game pitching 7.2 innings for the win.

Tipping Pitches?

I was forced to watch the Braves’ coverage of the game. I have to tell you, they bring a whole new meaning to the word excitement.

I do have to admit, they are a bit more interesting now that John Smoltz is in the booth.

Marlon Byrd has been essentially carrying the Chicago Cubs, sporting a .340 average to go along with his .951 OPS. His 51 hits are second to only Martin Prado in the National League.

A glaring issue with Byrd's season thus far, is his shockingly low walk rate. He has walked only three times, good enough for the worst walk rate in the majors (1.9 percent). Byrd has never been mistaken for a walk machine, but he would set a career low at this pace.

Of course, Byrd's walk rate is acceptable so long as he continues his hit parade, but is that possible?

In the last two years, the Phillies closer role has been filled by "a veritable who's who of incompetent puppets," as said by Dr. Kelso from ABC's television show Scrubs .

In 2009, the Yankees won a total of 15 games in walk-off hit fashion.

In the 2010 season, the Yankees got their first of the season in a much needed way against their oldest rival.

Monday night pitted the Yankees and Red Sox in the first of two games at Yankee Stadium.

Early on, the Yankees got a 5-0 lead in the first inning off Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, who just looked awful against the Yankees.

Yankees starter Phil Hughes wasn't as sharp as he has been all season, entering Monday's game 5-0.

In the 30th round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft, the New York Yankees selected Marcus Thames from Louisville, Mississippi.

Six years after that, in June of 2002, Thames homered on the first pitch he ever saw.  Who threw it?  Just this guy named Randy Johnson. No big deal, right?

Jimmy Rollins returned to the Phillies lineup.  Edwin Jackson showed why he has a huge upside the rest of the way.  Phil Hughes struggled for the first time this season.  Let’s look at these stories and all the rest from yesterday’s games:

Carl Yastrzemski
Frank Robinson
Mickey Mantle
Ted Williams
Joe Medwick
Lou Gehrig
Jimmie Foxx
Chuck Klein
Rogers Hornsby

Andre Ethier?

The first nine names on this list are those of the men who have won the Triple Crown since the end of the Dead-ball Era.

The tenth is the name of one of baseball's best and brightest young sluggers to emerge in some time.

But does Andre Ethier have what it takes to add his name to the list of baseball legends who succeeded in achieving perhaps baseball's most difficult accomplishment?

Simply stated, the answer is no.

OK, first we find out Omar Minaya is in town for the Atlanta series to “support his team.” Now we find out Mets owner Jeff Wilpon has also strolled into town right behind him. NOT a good sign.

Somewhere, Willie Randolph is smiling.