Red Sox pummel Yankees, win 11-1

Source: FanGraphs

When the Yankees get anything less than a strong pitching performance, they have very little chance of winning this year. Let’s recap Saturday’s 11-1 loss to the Red Sox…

• Phlopped: The Red Sox are a bad matchup for Phil Hughes and it showed. They pounded him for five runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings, with four of those runs coming on Mike Napoli’s third inning grand slam. Intentionally walking David Ortiz to load the bases with one out immediately prior to that was madness, but the bottom line is Hughes jumped ahead in the count 0-2 on Napoli and couldn’t put him away. In fact, Boston hitters fouled off 29 of his 100 pitches on the night. Phil did strike out seven in those 4.1 innings, but whoop-dee-do. His roller coaster season continues — he’s either very good or very bad. No middle ground.
• Cy Doubront: As he did four times last year, the eminently beatable Felix Doubront shut the Yankees down on Saturday. New York actually worked him very hard early, forcing him to throw 49 pitches in the first two innings. Then they put their tail between their legs and let him coast through the next four innings on 54 pitches. Doubront walked three and allowed six hits (all singles), but he gave up just one run in those six innings. Par for the course for this offense.
• Leftovers: Adam Warren fell off the regression tree and hit every branch on the way down. He allowed six runs in three innings on Saturday, and is up to 18 base-runners (three homers) and nine runs in his last nine innings … the top five hitters in the lineup went a combined 2-for-19 with a walk and eight strikeouts … seemed like Vernon Wells was pulling a trailor in the outfield all night, his range is kaput … the last ten and 18 of the last 19 Yankees to bat made outs … the Bombers have lost six of their last seven and eight of their last eleven games.

MLB.com has the box score and video highlights, FanGraphs the advanced stats, and ESPN the updated standings. The loss moves the Red Sox back into sole possession of first place in the AL East by one game in the loss column. The Orioles and Rays both lost on Saturday afternoon, so they remain one back in the loss column. Hiroki Kuroda and Clay Buchholz is your pitching matchup for Sunday night’s rubber game. RAB Tickets is the place to go for last minute tickets.