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Joba gives up 3-run HR in 8th in loss

Joba Chamberlain walks to the dugout after giving up three runs in the eighth inning against the Indians Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. (Nick Laham/Getty Images / May 6, 2008)

BY KAT O'BRIEN | kat.obrien@newsday.com

May 7, 2008

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Getting people out is not as easy as Joba Chamberlain made it look last year, when he had a near-dream existence in his first year in the majors.

The Yankees were rolling toward what would have been a season-high fourth consecutive victory last night until Chamberlain gave up a pinch-hit, three-run home run to David Dellucci in the eighth. Dellucci's homer lifted the Indians to a 5-3 win.

"I think because of the success that [Chamberlain] had last year and this year, people might think that he's invincible when he gets on the mound," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "But he's human, too."

The runs were the first that Chamberlain ever had allowed at Yankee Stadium. The home run was to a former Yankee, albeit briefly, in Dellucci, who was booed as he stepped to the plate against Chamberlain.

"I guess they remember me," said Dellucci, who played in 21 games for the Yankees in 2003. "They booed me, that's always a good feeling. They'll probably boo even more next time."

After getting the final out of the inning, but with his team now trailing by two runs, Chamberlain returned to the dugout and put a towel over his head as he slumped forward. Chamberlain (1-2) said after his first career defeat last month in Chicago that it would not be the last time he lost. He was right.

"I didn't go out and do my job," Chamberlain said. "... I let everyone down."

Chamberlain did not have his normal sharp command. He had walked only three batters in 12 2/3 innings all season.

But he walked leadoff batter Grady Sizemore, then walked Peralta with one out. After Ryan Garko flied out, Dellucci batted for Franklin Gutierrez and lofted an 0-and-1 delivery onto the short porch in right for his 10th career pinch-hit homer and first since June 2006 for Philadelphia against the Mets.

"You never want to [walk] the leadoff guy," Chamberlain said. "You've got to attack the zone, and I didn't do a very good job of that."

Until that point, Andy Pettitte had been in line for the win in his 400th major-league start.

Pettitte recovered from consecutive shaky starts and allowed two earned runs, five hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings. Both runs came on a homer by Peralta in the fourth. Otherwise, Pettitte was barely touched.

"Other than [the homer], I was real happy," Pettitte said. "I was able to get us deep in the game."

Indians starter Fausto Carmona struggled with his control as he walked five in five innings. He gave up three earned runs, with all three RBIs coming from slumping Yankees hitters Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano. Both are hitting just .157.

Giambi knocked in a first-inning run with a groundout that scored Derek Jeter. Giambi's double to left-centerfield in the fourth knocked in Hideki Matsui, who reached base four times. Cano's single scored Giambi.

The Yankees threatened in the fifth, but Abreu was thrown out trying to go from first to third on Matsui's single to rightfield, though replays appeared to show he was safe.

The Yankees failed to advance a runner past first in the final four innings against Rafael Perez (1-1), Jensen Lewis and Rafael Betancourt (save No. 3).

When Chamberlain pitches, the Yankees usually figure their bullpen will get the job done.

"I think," Pettitte said, "he's kind of spoiled us to think he's going to be perfect every time out there."

Tonight

Indians at Yankees

7:05 p.m.

TV: YES

Radio: WCBS (880)