 BRONX, NY -- A.J. Burnett's exit in the third inning Saturday was the result of an injury of his own doing, an act of misguided frustration that, in the end, cost the Yankees just one game of 162 this season. Andy Pettitte's removal at basically the same juncture of Sunday's 9-5 win over the Rays at the Stadium has the potential to cost the Bombers much more significantly. While Burnett apologized to his teammates before the game for bloodying his hands against a clubhouse door in a fit of anger one day earlier, the Yankees now are preparing to place Pettitte on the disabled list, Joe Girardi admitted. The All-Star lefty suffered a Grade I strain of his left groin while throwing a third-inning pitch to Kelly Shoppach, and could miss about 4-5 weeks, according to GM Brian Cashman. "I'll keep my fingers crossed the next few days and hopefully I'm not out for too long," Pettitte said after returning from New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he had an MRI exam. "Obviously, I'm a lot older and I can handle things a little better and realize the big picture. I want to be healthy down the stretch and want to get well." Pettitte's injury came at the end of an emotional 10-day period for the Yankees, dominated by the deaths last week of George Steinbrenner and longtime public-address announcer Bob Sheppard. The previous week, Cashman came close to swinging a deal for Seattle ace Cliff Lee to further enhance one of baseball's top rotations, before the Cy Young Award winner instead was dealt to Texas. Barring another deal, Sergio Mitre is ready to come off the disabled list and likely take Pettitte's next turn in the rotation Saturday against Kansas City, with relievers Chad Gaudin and Dustin Moseley the other internal candidates. "We expect to win every day, no matter who we send out there," Girardi said. "We have to weather it. That's our job. For the first time, we might send a (starting) pitcher to the DL, but we have to find a way. "This has been a tough week for all of us. We lost our leader, and it's difficult situation. There were a lot of emotions Friday night and Saturday was Old-Timers' Day ... but I thought our guys toughed it out." Despite Pettitte's struggles from the outset, the first-place Yanks (58-33) took the series finale from the Rays - and extended their lead in the AL East to three games - with David Robertson and four relievers recording the final 20 outs and Alex Rodriguez slugging his 598th career home run. The uplifting win didn't seem likely when Pettitte spotted the Rays three runs just four batters into the first inning, capped by Carlos Pena's towering three-run homer into the second deck in right field. But the mood at the Stadium brightened quickly when Robinson Cano's triple in the bottom half recouped two runs against AL All-Star starter David Price. "In your mind, you're thinking, they've got their stud going over there and I just lost the game," Pettitte said. "And then you're thinking I'm gonna win this game now." Still, the 38-year-old lefty had been tagged for two more singles in the first inning, and only escaped further damage when Gabe Kapler's bullet was snared by Rodriguez at third for the second out. Pettitte, who has been the Yanks' most consistent starter all season in compiling an 11-2 record, also walked two batters in the second inning and allowed two one-out singles in the third. On a 2-1 pitch to Shoppach, Pettitte felt tightness in his groin during his follow-through and motioned for Jorge Posada and trainer Gene Monahan to visit the mound. He threw one practice pitch, before wincing and doubling over in pain, and Girardi immediately pulled Pettitte from the game, replacing him with Robertson. "Obviously, you all have been around me and heard me say I think I can pitch through anything, but I was hurting," Pettitte said. "I'm pretty realistic that they are pretty cautious around here."
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