NEW YORK, N.Y., Oct. 13 — The anguish was palpable Thursday night around midnight in the Bronx. “How can you take that pitch?” from one. “That’s what I mean, this guy just doesn’t have the makeup!” from another. Jorge, it was clear, was going for the three-run punch-out in Game Two’s ninth inning, and he took us all down with him when he was frozen by that curve. But on a night when nobody could touch Barry Zito, who took him downtown?

The offense is off, there is no denying. Tomorrow we play another backs-to-the-wall, must-win game, and even though el duque has been very good for the most part since his return, an early-inning run or two is not out of the question, and an effective reply will be necessary. Paul is in the high top ten of batters in batting average in Yankee history; Bernie’s a line drive hitter from both sides of the plate whom Boston would have killed to have; Derek’s been a World Series MVP; Justice has awesome post-season numbers; Tino had a year to die for; Chuck has hit two come-from-behind World Series dingers. But when the Yanks needed one run to extend the season, we got it from Jorge. And if we are a run or two away from winning it tomorrow and getting back to the Bronx, don’t count Jorge out then either.

Pitchers have hot streaks just like batters, and the Oakland starters are on a streak that carried them from a lost season to more than 100 wins, and aside from all-world Derek, only one guy can hit them. Three for four, with a hard line drive out against lefty Mulder. A walk, a popup to the stars and two called K’s on Thursday when he coaxed fully one sixth of the 130 pitches Oakland hurlers threw, and he hit last night’s second-inning grounder that became a double play hard too. With all the walks, the called third strikes will come with the territory as Bud et al decide that anybody can be an umpire, and who’s to say after the last couple of years that Jorge doesn’t know the strike zone better than half the men in blue interpreting it anyway? (Though we all hope he’s less verbal on that score in the future.) He hits unhittable pitchers, and that’s a rare ballplayer. I’m happy he plies his trade in the Bronx.

YANKEE BASEBALL!!!