Alex Rodriguez didn't do anything once again, and neither did any of his teammates. Now the Yankees are one loss from another early exit from the playoffs.

Back in the cleanup spot, A-Rod was 0-for-3 in New York's 6-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 on Friday night. He's 1-for-11 in the first three games of the best-of-five series, hasn't driven in a run in 11 playoff games dating to 2004 and is batting .116 (5-for-43) in his last 12 post-season games.

New York, which led the major leagues in scoring, has been blanked in 14 consecutive innings since Johnny Damon homered in Game 2. The Yankees were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position after going 1-for-8 in Game 2.

But A-Rod wasn't the only bust for the Yankees, who have failed to win the World Series since 2000 and now may miss the AL championship series in consecutive years for the first time since their current run of success began in 1996.

Randy Johnson, out since Sept. 23 because of his balky back, flopped for the Yankees in the post-season yet again. The Big Unit, who lost Game 3 to the Los Angeles Angels last year, gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings.

But the way the Yankees were hitting, he would have had to pitch shutout ball.

Detroit's Kenny Rogers, who failed to stick with the Yankees in the 1990s, entered 0-3 with an 8.85 ERA in nine post-season games, and the nine starters in New York's batting order had a combined .391 batting average against him.

A-Rod was 10-for-19 with five homers.

Bernie Williams, a last-minute insertion into the lineup because of his .353 average against Rogers, went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Friday night.

Now the Yankees will be sending Jaret Wright to the mound in Game 4.