For much of the year, Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner and Mark Teixeira carried the Yankees’ offense. With the season on the line Tuesday night, and Teixeira unable to play because of injury, Rodriguez and Gardner could no longer carry the load, as the Yankees lost to the Houston Astros, 3-0, in the American League’s wild-card game at Yankee Stadium.
In an ugly display, Gardner and Rodriguez were a combined 0 for 8 with five strikeouts. Rodriguez flied out in the sixth inning with two runners on base, the Yankees’ best chance to score a run.