Navarro Postpones Yanks Champagne Party

The Yankees playoff party will have to wait at least one more day. Needing only a win to clinch the American League Wild Card, the Yankees blew a 5-0 lead and lost when Dioner Navarro hit a walkoff solo home run in the bottom of the tenth, giving Tampa Bay a 7-6 win. Kei Igawa started on the mound in place of Roger Clemens, who was nursing a sore hamstring and may sit out the rest of the regular season. Igawa pitched five shutout innings, allowing only two hits and five walks. The Yanks got him a lead with a Derek Jeter RBI double in the first and an Alex Rodriguez grand slam in the 3rd. For A-Rod, it was his 53rd homer and 151st RBI of the season. Edwar Ramirez got the Yankees problems started in the 6th. He faced four batters, walking two, retiring one and allowing a double to the other. That produced Tampas first run. Brian Bruney replaced Ramirez, walked a batter to load the bases, struck out the next batter for the second out and then walked in a run. With the score 5-2, Jorge Velandia crushed an 0-1 pitch to deep left field for a grand slam and a 6-5 Devil Ray lead. The Yanks evened the score in the 8th thanks to a Melky Cabrera sacrifice fly, but managed a harmless single and a walk after that. Yankee pitching walked 11 Devil Ray hitters, helping Tampa Bay score seven runs on only five hits. Detroit defeated Minnesota 8-0, meaning the Yankees still needed a win or a Tiger loss to clinch a playoff spot.