Mussina's rough day

Mike Mussina is in mid-season form, giving up the lead right after the Yankees scored for him on two different occasions.

After being given a 1-0 lead in the second inning, Mussina gave up two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Hunter Pence doubled and then scored on a Jose Cruz Jr. single. Cruz Jr. then took second when Mussina didn't cover the plate on the throw him. He was driven home by Humberto Quintero.

The Yankees scored three runs in the top of the third to retake the lead by a score of 4-2. Shelley Duncan hit an RBI single that scored Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano. Morgan Ensberg then drove home Duncan on a single.

Mussina came out for a third inning of work. Kaz Matsui and Lance Berkman singled to start the third. Carlos Lee was up after and drilled a pitch over the wall to take a 5-4 lead. Mussina was taken out right after and was replaced by Jeff Karstens. Mussina's final line was 2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR.

Mussina has been happy with his work in camp so far, so this is an obvious step in the wrong direction. He has the uncanny ability to surrender leads, so this is nothing new. Hopefully this isn't what he has been teaching Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy.

In other news, the former Astros are chipping in. Ensberg is currently 2-2 with a double and an RBI and Jason Lane has also driven in a run.