If it was Roger Clemens’ final outing of a brilliant Cooperstown 23-year career, it was indeed bittersweet as the 45 year-old Rocket was forced to exit early in the third inning due to a strained left hamstring with his team trailing Cleveland 2-0 in a win or go home Game 3 at a packed Stadium.

The Yankees are once again facing first round elimination for the third consecutive Fall. And that’s obviously not what George Steinbrenner paid for. Yet another opening round disappointment.

One thing you have to ponder is if Clemens’ hammy was so questionable, why did Joe Torre send him out there in the first place? Why not let rookie Phil Hughes get the start instead of watching helplessly as the manager tapped his hired gun after he reached back to strike out Victor Martinez before bringing in the 2004 first round pick?

It will most likely be asked by the press afterwards. Especially if they get swept.

They trail 3-1. The Indians got a two out first inning Ryan Garko RBI single to take advantage of a Derek Jeter miscue even if it was ruled a hit. A Trot Nixon solo shot an inning later gave The Tribe a two-run lead off an ailing Rocket who threw 59 pitches while allowing three runs on four hits, walking two while retiring only seven batters.

After Clemens was pulled, Hughes permitted a Jhonny Peralta two out seeing eye runscoring hit that dropped inside the right field line to put the Bronx Bombers down three.

The Yanks have already bounced into three double plays hurting their chances of mounting a comeback against former Yank Jake Westbrook. Speaking of The Captain, he’s failed badly so far in this game grounding into two including a third inning killer 5-4-3 which ended their best chance. Only one run came in on a Johnny Damon single thru the hole.

They desperately need to show better patience. It also wouldn’t kill Torre to play more aggressively and hit and run. One glaring example was when the overly scrutinized Alex Rodriguez got off the deck snapping an 0-for-19 in the postseason to leadoff the second with a sharp single to center. Instead of running him with the slow Jorge Posada at the plate, they watched as the catcher grounded into an easy 6-4-3 twin killing.

It’s happened all series and explains why the Yanks only have scored five total runs thus far compared to the Indians’ 17 with 12 coming in a Game 1 rout.

Hughes so far has looked good striking out a couple. With Westbrook getting plenty of ground balls, the 21 year-old from Dalton Georgia needs to continue to put up zeroes to give his desperate team a realistic opportunity.

It’s the Indian half of the fifth and Hughes is continuing to mix his pitches well and throw strikes. With Travis Hafner on first due to a Robinson Cano E4, the 6-5 220 pound righthander does the job and freezes Garko with 90+ MPH heat. In two and two thirds thus far, he’s allowed a hit while K-ing three.

Once considered the best pitching prospect in the game, he’s showing why by pitching with poise and keeping the crowd in it.

Can his team get any momentum?

TBS has done a solid job with their baseball coverage dwarfing ESPN’s but is anyone else sick of seeing Bon Jovi’s mug? Enough already!

It is a little weird hearing the Braves broadcaster Chip Caray calling a Yankee playoff game.

After Jason Giambi chases a sinker down and out of the zone to start the Bomber fifth, Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano get consecutive opposite field hits as the Yanks now have the tying runs in scoring position with Melky Cabrera up. According to Caray, it’s the first time they’ve strung together two straight hits. Sound surprising?

The 23 year-old centerfielder wisely takes the first two pitches and then serves one to the opposite field to score Matsui putting runners at the corners with the Yanks down only a run. Can Damon deliver here as Cleveland pitching coach Carl Willis comes out to settle down Westbrook?

Damon has the count 2-0 here. The left fielder gets a pitch up in the zone and hammers it into the right field seats to give the Yanks their first lead at 5-3. If ever there was a potential momentum changing swing or inning, this could be it as Yankee Stadium is electric.

The difference in this inning has been the Yanks’ patience. They’re not chasing the low sinkers and getting into favorable counts and making the Game 3 starter pay.

Westbrook comes back to get Jeter and Abreu but for the first time in the series, the Yanks put together a big frame scoring four. To put it in perspective, that’s just one fewer run than they had in the first 24 innings of the series.

Now they give Hughes a lead. Let’s see if the kid who is a big part of the rotation’s future can deliver.

So far, he hasn’t allowed a leadoff hit to Peralta to bother him coming back to get Kenny Lofton swinging for K No.4.

If he runs into any trouble, you could see Joba (Jaw-ba) Chamberlain.

Got to love that name even if it did take a hit due to freaking gnats!

It’s a full count on Nixon and the ex-Sock fouls it off. You get the feeling if Hughes loses him, this could be it.

Btw…this Steinbrenner statement stuff has to stop. Who cares?!?!?!?!?! Every freaking Yankee or baseball fan for that matter knows the deal if they lose this.

We don’t need to see it. It’s a waste. A good fastball by Hughes low and away pops out Nixon for the second out. Casey Blake almost ties it but Abreu has enough room to haul it in ending the Indians’ half of the sixth.

So far, Hughes has gone three and two thirds allowing two hits while striking out four and most importantly not allowing a run or walking a batter. He’s tossed 63 pitches with 43 for strikes. A good ratio. Could he give Torre one more or do they go to King Jawwwwwww–baaahhhh???

A-Rod leads off with an infield hit. Even if Peralta’s throw was in time, no way they get him as the third baseman pumped his fist which is always nice to see.

Westbrook is finally done.

Final line: 5 IP 5 ER 9 H 0 BB 1 K

Eric Wedge brings in Aaron Fultz. Posada greets him with a single to put the first two runners on first and second. This is a big chance for the Yanks to break this open. They can’t afford a DP.

And with that in mind, Torre sends in Doug Mientkiewicz to hit for Jason Giambi. He’s not just in for D but to sacrifice here. Something the first baseman’s done with some success unlike most of his teammates. And this is very big. The 2004 Red Sock best known for keeping the World Series winning ball does the job laying it down beautifully to put runners in scoring position.

Wedge opts to intentionally pass Matsui and go after Cano whose big double an inning prior was a turning point. They’re looking for two here.

It backfires big time as the second baseman who’s a better offensive player than Jose Reyes delivers a clutch two-run hit. The ball then gets by Nixon allowing Matsui to come around all the way from first to make it 8-3.

They give Cano only one RBI as they ruled that Nixon’s error allowed the other two to score. I would disagree. The second run probably comes in.

The Yanks strand Cano at third as Melky grounds out and Damon whiffs to end the inning but the damage is done as three more come in and the Yanks have now gotten the last eight after trailing 3-0 initially.

Do they let Hughes go out for the seventh? He certainly has changed this game after it was looking bleak early on. I would.

Instead, Torre brings in Joba to see if the 21 year-old who electrified the Bronx can redeem himself after a bizarre eighth in Game 2.

He K’s Grady Sizemore on a nasty change. Asdrubal Cabrera stands in. What a funky first name! Try saying it fast 10 times. He goes down on three pitches. Now it’s Hafner who loves the heater against Joba who can throw it 99-100. After going full on the Cleveland slugger, Joba wins the battle by popping him out to short right to finish off a 1-2-3 seventh.

If the Yanks win, Hughes clearly is the player of the game with Damon and Cano coming right behind. The kid did the job and is in line for his first postseason victory.

Cleveland reliever Jensen Lewis has come in throwing gas, fanning Jeter and Abreu to start the Yanks’ seventh. And then he blows away Alex Rodriguez on four pitches to top it off. Talk about impressive. The 23 year-old 2005 third round pick is the other big arm Wedge can bring out of his pen which features Rafael Perez and Rafael Betancourt.

If there’s an area which should be an Indians’ strength for years, it’s that pen.

Martinez leads off the Cleveland eight by getting on top of a 96 MPH Chamberlain fastball putting it past a sprawling Cano. Joba is trying to get through two innings here. He gets just what he needs as Caray turns into a profit mentioning that he needed a double play and on the next pitch gets just that as Garko bounces into a 6-4-3 DP.

Joba loses Peralta on a 3-2 fastball off the inside part of the plate. It’s the Yanks’ third walk of the night and first since Clemens back in the third. Jose Veras gets up in the pen as Ron Guidry talks to his young fireballer.

Ever the pest, Lofton takes a 1-1 pitch the opposite way to left to put runners on first and second with two out. Nixon is now up. He’s already hit one out. So if Chamberlain is tiring, he better be careful. Just to prove the point, he drives in one with an opposite field double.

It’s time for Torre to get Joba. Mariano Rivera quickly gets up. He’s definitely going to wind up in the game here.

Why he’s staying into pitch to Blake is beyond me? He luckily gets the dangerous Indian hitter to fly to the warning track in right to escape further damage.

You have to question Torre here because he still had a four-run lead and clearly, Joba was tiring. What about using him for tomorrow if we get to that point?

It looks like that’s out because instead, Chamberlain wound up throwing 38 pitches (23 strikes).

You have to figure that the plan for Game 4 is to go with Chien-Ming Wang on short rest and bring in a rested Mike Mussina in if the No.1 starter runs into trouble.

First, the Yanks need three more outs from Rivera.

Cleveland brings on veteran closer Joe Borowski in the ninth to get some work. He promptly puts Posada on first via a walk. If there is a weak link in that Tribe pen, it’s the vet closer.

The Indians’ pen is eerily similar to last year’s big AL Central World Series representative the Tigers. While Jim Leyland could bring in flame throwers Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya, he relied on vet Todd Jones to close games.

You have to say this for Matsui in this game as he comes to the plate and reaches base for the third time on another walk. For as bad as he looked with a balky knee the first couple of games, just seeing Godzilla bust it down the first base line for an infield hit and then following with his second hit to the opposite field shows how gritty the Japanese veteran is. Now reduced to a DH, he’s very important to this Yankee lineup.

The TBS crew of Caray, Bob Brenly and Tony Gwynn discuss the Yanks’ sudden turnaround with RISP. After having only one hit in their first 23 ABs, they are six-for-11 tonight. That’s a huge part of these postseason games.

Borowski works around the two walks by getting Cabrera to fly to left stranding both runners.

Now Rivera will be asked to get the final three outs to force a fourth game.

Mo gets Sizemore to pop to Damon in left. He then blows away Cabrera on high cheese. And then for good measure freezes Hafner by painting the outside corner with his trademark cutter.

The best aspect is that the electric Sandman only needed 10 pitches to take care of the Indians.

I have to echo what Caray said about Hughes. Damon might’ve been selected as Player of the Game but the Yanks don’t win without the rookie who was brilliant in picking up his first career postseason victory. He just might’ve saved their season.

Game 4 tomorrow as Boston, Arizona and Colorado await in the championship series.

Will Wedge have a change of heart and throw ace C.C. Sabathia on short rest? Or will Paul Byrd take the mound? As for Torre, it will either be Wang or Mussina. I’m going to say he pitches Wang who fares much better at home with Moose as his ace in the hole.

Editor’s Note: Torre later confirmed the plan as the 19-game winner will take the mound for Game 4. 

And so not all four first round series will be sweeps. TBS is happy and so are we.

See ya’ll tomorrow.