Andy Pettitte’s First Inning Struggles Make History


The Star-Ledger-USA TODAY Sports

It is time for New York Yankees southpaw Andy Pettitte to hang up his cleats.

He started against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday and made history in a bad way. He gave up a first-inning run again, making it eight straight games in which he’s allowed at least one run in the first inning. That has never been done in Yankees history. Although he only gave up one run in the first in the game, that doesn’t alleviate the fact that he has put the Yankees in a hole for eight straight outings.

Pettitte now has an 8.55 ERA in the first inning, which immediately puts a team that struggles to score runs in a place that they don’t want to be. As he is one of the Yankees’ all-time greats, it is hard for fans to watch Pettitte struggle the way he has this season — a season in which his fellow Yankees legend and battery mate, Mariano Rivera, is set for retirement.

Mo has also blown two consecutive saves as both of these Yankees are showing that age is more than just a number. When the Yanks ultimately miss the playoffs this season, it will be a disappointing way to send the greatest closer of all time on his farewell.

Pettitte has not definitively said he will retire when the season is over, but he is as hard on himself as any pitcher in the league, and if his first-inning ERA is any indication, he knows his time may be up.


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