The first series of the season is over and for the Yankees, it was a good one.
The Yanks defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. Phil Hughes looked good in six innings of work while manager Joe Girardi played small ball in order to pick up his second win of the year.
In the bottom of the 8th, Melky Cabrera led off with a single to right, then Johnny Damon pulled off a sac bunt. But because Toronto reliever Scott Downs couldn't hold on to the ball, Damon was safe at first as a result of the error.
Next up was Derek Jeter who also bunted and got Cabrera and Damon into scoring position. Bobby Abreu wasted little time as he got a bloop single to score the eventual winning run.
Hughes allowed two runs on four hits in six innings of work to go along with four strikeouts. Not a bad outing for the 21-year-old Hughes. His curveball seemed to dance all over the strikezone tonight, a good sign indeed.
“Phil Hughes was ready when he got to camp, and he wanted to grab a hold of this role,” Girardi said.
The Yanks also got to use Joba Chamberlain in the 8th and Mariano Rivera in the 9th to secure the win, the same relief combination used on opening night.
The Blue Jays had the tying run on third base in the 9th, but Rivera struck out the final batter to win the game for New York.
Next up for the Yanks, the Tampa Bay Rays, for a four-game series. With the fireworks set off by these two teams during spring training, this series should be something to watch.
(Frank's articles can also be found at OnTheBlockNY and HotStoveNewYork.com)
2 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Chip Krueger about 1 year ago
GO YANKEES
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David McDermott about 1 year ago
That breaking ball of his is nasty for sure. A real promising start for the Yankees overall. They won 2 games 3-2 on the strength of good pitching and small ball - the 2 areas that they have been struggling with in recent seasons.
If Hughes looked good in his season debut, then Chamberlain has looked absolutely magnificent. Joe Torre used to plan his strategy around being ahead after 8 innings, because of course the 9th was automatic with the sand man closing. If the opening series against the Blue Jays is any indication, it looks like Joe Girardi has an even greater luxury - if the Yanks are leading after the 7th it's pretty much lights out with Joba setting up Rivera.
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