Mike Mussina

This wasn’t one of Mike Mussina’s best days.

The 39-year-old veteran couldn’t even get out of the first inning Tuesday night.

It was ugly right from the very start, even though he retired two of the first three batters he faced.

However, it was all downhill after that.

Aubrey Huff singles, Kevin Millar singles, Derek Jeter makes an error, Ramon Hernandez walks, Adam Jones doubles, Freddie Bynum singles, Mussina throws a wild pitch, then Brian Roberts hits for the second time and triples.

Five hits, two walks and an error later, Mussina is down seven to nothin’ in the top of the first inning - at home - and it taken out of the game before his team even has a chance to bat.

Only one of the seven runs is earned, thanks to the Jeter miscue, yet the damage has been done just the same.

It dropped Mussina to 6-4 on the year for a Yankees team that now finds itself two games behind anyone else in the AL East.

So, this could - in essence - go out to the entire team, but we’ll reserve our Tough Love for Mussina tonight, since he surely didn’t help matters any.