BASEBALL;Pettitte Plummets Yanks To Season-Worst Streak

The Yankees have not employed a secret formula while barreling into first place in the American League East. Their approach has been basic. When the Yankees pitch precisely, they usually win. When the Yankees pitch poorly, they usually lose. No secrets.

It sounds simple, and the Yankees have made it look simple for more than three months because their starters and relievers have routinely been in sync. But suddenly the Yankees have slight problems and the focus is on pitching. Tonight the dependable Andy Pettitte was the latest Yankee pitcher to sputter as the Brewers rolled to a 7-5 victory at County Stadium.

If we don't pitch," Manager Joe Torre has said, "we're going to look awful."

Like they have recently.

The Yankees still have the finest record in the American League and they still possess an eight-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles, but they have lost three straight games for the first time since May 9-11 and have tied their season-worst streak.

Even more revealing, the Yankees have lost four of their last five games while compiling an 8.42 earned run average and a .339 batting average. In sharp contrast, they had a 2.58 e.r.a. and a .225 average when they swept four games from the second-place Orioles last week. Obviously, they must pitch to win.

"Everything we do is based on pitching," Torre said.

Pettitte (14-5) has become the pitcher with the most victories in the league by not letting walks hurt him and by being dominant with runners on base. But he was the opposite tonight. He tied a season high with five walks and was blitzed for six hits in nine at-bats with runners on base, and the Brewers snatched a 6-0 lead after two innings. Although Pettitte (7 innings, 10 hits, 6 earned runs) muscled his way to 122 pitches, the Yankees could not climb out of the ditch.