The Yankee time is at hand: Beat these guys now, or face them later

Truth is, it's still too early to bury anybody, even in the wretched basement of the AL East. But this is that sleepy stretch of June that always comes back to haunt hot teams in September. The Yankees have won four in a row - (thank you, Robbie) - but gained nothing on hockey-town Tampa, and only one measly game on Pedroia-ville. 

Last night, we came within an eyelash of enduring the 2015 Ultimate Yankee Horror Loss: A 9th inning, seven-run lead that was nearly shattered by one wretched defensive lapse and the dearth of serviceable right-handed bullpen cogs. It would have been the collapse that lurks in clubhouse shadows all season, whispering curses into our ears like Joan Crawford in a closet with a coat-hanger. Make no mistake: We didn't dodge a bullet. We dodged a bazooka blast.

In fact, I'm still dreading the notion that last night's finale shall be viewed as a seasonal fulcrum point - the night we had to use Betances for the second time in one week, after starting with more than a five-run lead.

One of the AL East teams will soon get hot, if only because this sorry collection will start playing each other. It's not now or never. But it definitely is now.