--LHP Andy Pettitte gave up a career-high four homers in the Yankees' 8-6 loss to the Rays on Thursday. Pettitte had given up just one homer in his first five starts. He has surrendered three homers in a start six times, the last of which occurred April 4, 2006, when he was pitching for the Astros against the Marlins.
--OF Johnny Damon had his 34th four-hit game Thursday, when he went 4-for-5 with four RBIs in the Yankees' 8-6 loss to the Rays. It was the third straight multi-hit game for Damon, who is 8-for-13 over that span to lift his average from .271 to .314. --Selena Roberts' book "A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez" was released. Along with reporting on his admitted steroid use, Roberts also claims though unnamed sources that Rodriguez tipped opposing hitters to pitchers in the hopes they would do the same for him while in Texas and may have used steroids as early as high school. Major League Baseball is investigating the timeline of Rodriguez's performance-enhancing drug use, according to the New York Times.
BY THE NUMBERS: 30th -- Where the Yankees' star-studded pitching staff -- and its 5.93 team ERA -- ranked out of 30 teams after the season's first 24 games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't want this Alex thing to be a target. I have some issues with it. That it's interesting how the book date got moved up now. And I get tired of answering these questions." -- Joe Girardi, on "A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez" which was released on May 4, shortly before Rodriguez's expected return to the Yankees.
