On Monday in the eighth inning, the Orioles walked Gary Sheffield intentionally to load the bases for Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod walked to force in the tying run before Bernie Williams gave the Yankees a 10-8 lead in a game they won 13-8.

Joe Torre raved about Rodriguez’ at-bat the following day, but when was the last time a player of A-Rod’s stature was put in that position? When was the last time an MVP candidate – and putative best player in the game – had the man in front of him purposely passed with the game on the line?

Well, how about yesterday?

Maybe Sheffield wasn’t walked intentionally in the ninth inning by the Indians’ Bob Wickman with two out and the tying run on third, but the four-ball at-bat might as well have been scored that way. It sure looked as if Cleveland was more comfortable going after A-Rod than Sheffield, who had combined with Rodriguez to go back-to-back out of the yard in the first inning.

Coincidence or not, Sheffield walked three times after his home run, with the Indians seemingly content all afternoon to go after Rodriguez, whose first-inning home run into right gave him the American League lead with 23. He entered the game fifth in batting at .322 and third in RBI with 71.

But with the game on the line yesterday, with the Yankees down 8-7 and a long hit away from moving within 2½ games of first place in the AL East, A-Rod swung at Wickman’s first pitch. And he rapped it to short for the game-ending 6-4 force-out.

“I’m looking to get a pitch I can drive in that situation; I’m looking for a strike,” said Rodriguez, who had popped up a full-count pitch an inning earlier with runners on first and second, none out with the Yanks trailing 7-3. “I’d had quality at-bats all game.

“Being up in that spot is a situation I love to be in. It was an opportunity for me to come up with a big hit and I didn’t get it done. It’s unfortunate.”

Cold Rod

After hitting a solo home run in the first inning to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead, Alex Rodriguez came to bat four more times and left five runners on base in yesterday’s 8-7 loss to the Indians. Here’s a look at A-Rod’s day:

1st inning

Two out, none on

Hits home run

3rd inning

Two out, Gary Sheffield on first

Flies out to left

6th inning

Leads off

Strikes out swinging

8th inning

No out, Robinson Cano on second, Sheffield on first

Pops out to first

9th inning

Two out, Tony Womack on third, Sheffield on first

Grounds into force-out at second

Game over