Source: FanGraphs
Fresh off a three-game sweep of the Indians, the Yankees opened their ten-game West Coast trip with a nice and easy 6-1 win over the Mariners in Seattle. A big third inning put this one to bed rather earlier. Let’s recap…
- Big Inning: After having five 4+ run innings in their first 56 games of the season, the Yankees now have one in each of the last four games. Robinson Cano (three-run) and Mark Teixeira (solo) did the homers with back-to-back homers off Aaron Harang in the third inning, part of eight consecutive hits by New York hitters. Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki singled in two runs after the dingers, ending Harang’s night and capping off the six-run frame. I’ve missed innings like that, they’re awesome. This game was over early.
- Philthy Phil: The Yankees couldn’t have asked for more from Phil Hughes, who surrendered one run on three singles and two walks in seven innings of work. He struck out seven, retired 15 of the first 17 men he faced, and threw a first pitch strike to 20 of 26 batters faced. Never once did he throw more than 18 pitches in an inning, and he got 14 swings and misses on 64 fastballs (21.9%). That’s nuts. Hughes did exactly what he was supposed to do against a poor offense, and for the seventh time in his last ten starts, he allowed two runs or fewer.
- Leftovers: After the six-run inning, long man Blake Beavan actually retired 14 straight Yankees hitters … Boone Logan allowed an inherited runner to score, but otherwise he, Preston Claiborne, and Shawn Kelley combined to finish off the final two innings in relief of Hughes … Austin Romine was the only player to go hitless and the Yankees didn’t draw a single walk as a tea,. Travis Hafner was the only player to reach base twice … following Wednesday’s 16-inning nightmare, Seattle had to get 20 outs from their bullpen on Thursday. Hopefully that carries over and impacts the rest of the series.
MLB.com has the box score and video highlights, FanGraphs some other stats, and ESPN the updated standing. The Orioles and Red Sox won while the Rays lost, so the Yankees remain one back of Boston, one up on Baltimore, and two up on Tampa (in the loss column) in the division. Hiroki Kuroda and Jeremy Bonderman is your pitching matchup for game two of this four-game set on Friday night.
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