Injury to Yankee Wang spoils victory

The Taiwanese pitcher strains his right shoulder during the 12-inning, 6-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Wang Chien-Ming, right, rests his glove on the shoulder of the trainer Steve Donahue as umpire Wally Bell signals the bullpen for a new pitcher.

The New York Yankees pitcher Wang Chien-Ming strained his right shoulder during the Yankees' 12-inning, 6-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday and may need to be placed on the disabled list. Wang, 29, who has been beset by injury problems all season, left the game in the sixth inning. An examination showed he is suffering from bursitis (inflammation) as well as the strain in his pitching shoulder.

The Yankees said they hoped the right-hander could return in a month. "I'm confident he'll be back," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I just can't tell you exactly when." Wang, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in June 2008, missed 26 games from April 24 to May 22 this year with weakness in the abductor muscles of both hips. He also had shoulder problems in 2001, missing the entire minor league season, and 2005.

"In 05, when I stretched my arm behind, it hurt," Wang said. "This time, it's different. I'm afraid if it takes surgery to repair, that would be the worst case. I hope that wouldn't be the case." The Taiwanese had thrown one pitch after giving up a two-run homer to Toronto's Adam Lind when catcher Jorge Posada noticed a problem with his delivery. Posada went to the mound, called out Girardi and a trainer and after discussing the problem with Wang, the pitcher walked off the field.

Wang said he felt tightness in the shoulder when he threw the home run pitch and the pain increased on the next pitch. New York won the game, the Yankees' ninth in 10 games, when Posada singled to drive in the winning run in the 12th. The victory means the Yankees pull to within one game of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. Chris Woodward's RBI single in the ninth condemned the Red Sox to a 3-2 defeat to the Seattle Mariners.

* Reuters