Heading into last night’s game the Yankees probably thought their main problem would be figuring out how to hit off Roy Halladay. Instead, they may need to figure out how to play without their starting catcher for a few days, as a frustrating game turned into a brawl in the late innings. The Yankees lost 10-4 and emotions ran high, leaving fans wondering what we may see tonight, or whether the players will be able to put the game behind them.

The Yankees broke through in the bottom of the second. Posada started the inning with a grounder that dribbled right past the second baseman and into right. Swisher then sent a double to left, moving Posada to third. Brett Gardner battled Halladay and slapped a hit to right center, scoring Posada. Jeter followed with a RBI single and the Yankees had the 2-0 lead. Mitre gave the lead away quickly, walking Jose Bautista and giving up a homerun to Travis Snider. After getting the next two outs, Mitre gave up another homer, this time to Adam Lind. Swisher tried to climb the wall to rob Lind, but was unable to catch the ball in his flailing glove. He battled back to get the final out, but the damage was done and the Yankees fell behind 3-2.

In the bottom of the third A-Rod smacked a double and tried to score on a single by Matsui. Bautista made a perfect throw to Barajas who got A-Rod at home. Mitre started the fourth inning by giving up a homer to Edwin Encarnacion, putting the Yankees down 4-2. After getting two outs, Mitre gave up another bomb to Travis Snider and the Yankees found themselves down by three. Mitre went out in the sixth and promptly gave up a single and hit Encarnacion with a pitch. Barajas then doubled to right, scoring Overbay. Edwar Ramirez was then brought in and he walked the bases full. Toronto tacked on another run on Marco Scutaro’s sac fly.

Trailing 9-2 in the bottom of the eighth, things took a particularly ugly turn. Carlson, the Toronto reliever, threw a pitch behind Posada, apparently as retaliation for Hill getting pegged in the back earlier in the game. Posada got heated and took some steps towards the mound telling Carlson he didn’t want to do that. Both benches cleared, but everything was quickly back to order and the at bat resumed. Posada worked a walk and Cano singled. Gardner drove a grounder down the first baseline, scoring Posada, who appeared to bump Carlson as he jogged across home plate. The home plate umpire tossed the Yankee catcher, Carlson started dropping f-bombs at him and Posada came out swinging. Both benches were back out on the field quickly and there were fists flying. Carlson walked away with a big knot on his head and Girardi looked like he got cut-up a bit. In the end, the Yankees lost 10-4, but perhaps more importantly, they will likely lose their starting catcher to a suspension.

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