ALCS: New York 3 - 5 Texas (Top of the 7th)

Fall may be coming early to the Bronx. Down 2-1, with the last two games in Texas and Cliff Lee still available to pitch once more for the Rangers, the Yankees desperately need a win tonight. In a slow, tense game full of portent and drama, the Yankees (who have simply stopped hitting) had scratched out a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the 5th. At this point, Jeter led off with a double and the next batter walked. Suddenly the Yanks had men at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. This is where they needed to break the game open. But Mark Teixeira grounded into a fielder's choice at third, and A-Rod hit into a double play.

Nevertheless, the Yankees still had the lead. In the top of the 6th, A.J. Burnett, the Yankees' starting pitcher -- who has been dreadful all year but pretty good tonight -- gave up a leadoff single to the aged Vladimir Guerrero. Burnett then got two outs on a fielder's choice and a long fly to dead center. On the fly, the runner at first advanced to second. At this point, the Yankees decided to walk the next batter -- and put the lead run on base -- in order to get a chance to end the inning by pitching to Bengie Molina. Molina -- one of three brothers who are all major-league catchers -- is an excellent defensive player but not a great hitter. This year he batted .249 with only five home runs.

Nevertheless, Joe Morgan, on ESPN Radio, was surprised that the Yankees would pitch to Molina, who had more than 80 RBIs in every year from 2007 to 2009. And Morgan was right, because Molina pounded the first pitch over the left field wall to put the Rangers up 5-3. Boos rained down on the Yankees. But they may be among the last boos of the year.