Bronx, N.Y., July 2, 2010 — The concern in Yankee land had reached fever pitch by the time Friday’s game rolled around. What was up with A.J. Burnett? Would he ever win again? Even have a trouble-free first inning? June 2010 was without a doubt the worst month of his career. On a Yankee team built on its starting pitching, would titular starter number two ever right the ship?

The answer came down Friday afternoon, and it was a home run. Or maybe a very good (as in near “perfect”) outing, if we are going to skip using terms that have to do with the offense, which is a whole different set of problems. A.J. had his toughest inning in the second Friday once the Yanks gave him a 1-0 lead in the first. Toronto lefty Brett Cecil had walked two batters and Alex Rodriguez delivered a run wit a sac fly to deep center. But DH Adam Lind gave Burnett quite a battle leading off the second. Once A.J. snuck a high outside fastball past him for a called strike on the eighth pitch and retired Aaron Hill on a first pitch foul to first, it got tense with back to back Lyle Overbay and John Buck singles and a wild pitch. Finally, A.J. got third baseman Jarrett Hoffpaiur swinging in seven pitches.

The Yankees, meanwhile, carried on with the task of trying to add onto that slimmest of leads. They failed to score around a Francisco Cervelli single in the second, but appeared to be ready to break the game open in the third when a Derek Jeter single and two more walks loaded the bases with nobody out. Burnett had walked two in the top half, but plowed through batters three to five in the order, and it was just after 2 o’clock when the Bombers were ready to take control with three on, no outs, and A-Rod and Robbie Cano coming up. The moment would linger in fans’ minds three hours later

The rally wasn’t to be. Cecil posted five strike outs through six innings, but two came on the next 10 pitches, and when Jorge Posada followed with a grounder to second, the last decent Yankee scoring chance of the afternoon was gone. They had scored in the first without a hit, and the five singles they would scratch together in the game came one at a time from the second through seventh innings, skipping the fifth, when Mark Teixeira would walk. They would put the first two on in the sixth on a Posada one-base hit and a Curtis Granderson walk, but Joe Girradi surprised both the Blue Jays and the fans when Francisco Cervelli was not called upon to bunt them over. The gamble failed when Cisco bounced into a 5-4-3, and the only remaining hit, a Nick Swisher single in the seventh, was removed on a dp too, when Teixeira lined out to first. Not another Yankee would reach.

But still, the Yanks did have the 1-0 lead, and A.J. proved supremely capable of protecting that tiny margin. He pitched around a hit by pitch in the fifth, and a walk and wild pitch in the sixth, when he pounded the last two of his six strike outs. Granderson made a fabulous play on the dead run on a Lyle Overbay liner to dead center in the fourth. But once Buck stroked the third Jay hit in the second, A.J. would not allow another until Hoffpaiur pulled one through the shortstop hole with two down in the seventh. It was A.J.’s 106th and last pitch, though he seemed to have plenty left. Girardi used Damaso Marte to retire lefty batter Fred Lewis to close the frame, though he might have been better used when Adam Lind came up in the eighth.

And that was the pivotal inning. It was easy to see coming. The Jays threats in the second and third innings had cost Burnett 45 pitches, and once the Yanks failed to tack on the key second run in the home third, it was clear that the Yanks had an excellent chance of winning anyway if Joba Chamberlain and the pen could turn in a scoreless eighth. And Joba couldn’t.

The Yanks got a break when Joba inexplicably missed with three straight after going up 0-2 on Alex Gonzalez leading off. He grooved two pitches, and after fouling one off the Toronto shortstop lifted the second deep to left down the line. Brett Gardner raced back, timed his leap and made what seemed to be a game-saving catch. But Joba’s inconsistency wasn’t done and he walked Jose Bautista on four straight after a first-pitch called strike. Vernon Wells lined out to right, but Adam Lind and Aaron Hill singles made the Yanks and Joba pay for his one-out walk. The lead, and Burnett’s chance at a much-needed win, were gone. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth, and David Robertson the 10th, as Yankee bats remained quiet. Robertson started the 11th but was reached for a run on two singles, a sac bunt, a walk and single. Given the quiet Yankee offense, that Chan Ho Park came on and gave up a bases loaded triple just turned the knife in an already hopeless game.

Burnett allowed just four singles over 6.7 innings and threw 18 of 27 first-pitch strikes, and eight of nine to the last nine batters he faced, so he finished strong. He allowed three walks and a hit by pitch but did not allow a run. His 68/38 strikes/balls ratio was very good, he pounded 96 mph heat and gradually blended in an effective curve. So the good news is the Yankee rotation is in great shape. But it has been a very quiet home stand so far offensively. Still, the team has five solid starters. But take a hint from the fact that writer and actor Larry David’s 63rd birthday was today. If you think the offense is good enough, and the rotation was great, there are pieces to fill. Perhaps rather than an AJ watch, there should be a JobA watch. Whatever the case,

Curb Your Enthusiasm

YANKEE BASEBALL!!!