Game 40 Wrap-Up: SEA 12 NYY 2

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The Yankees reached the quarter pole of the regular season last night, and they did it the same way they started the season by making roster moves and trying to piece a lineup together from the collection of healthy bodies they had.  David Adams was the newest addition, called up on his birthday and just a few months after being outright released from the team to create a 40-man roster opening.  He was playing third base and hitting 6th, a sign of confidence from Joe, and looking to make a name for himself by being the next next man up this season.  Any continuation of that fun storyline got quickly swallowed up by the suck of Hughes.

Game Notes:

- Phil Hughes' start last night ended almost as quickly as it started.  After getting Michael Saunders to fly out to start the game, Hughes put the next 7 runners on, the big dagger a Raul Ibanez grand slam, and actually got yanked with just 2 outs in the 1st and 7 runs on the board.  Awful doesn't even begin to describe it.

- Vernon Wells continued his hot hitting in the bottom half, clubbing his 10th HR of the season to get the Yankees on the board.  If they got blown out, at least they wouldn't be shut out.

- Preston Claiborne came on after Hughes and turned in another good outing, tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless ball with 2 strikeouts.  Brett Marshall made his Major League debut after and wasn't so successful.  He took one for the team to the tune of 5 ER on 9 H and 5 BB in 5.2 IP.  Not exactly a repeat of Nuno's debut.

- Chris Stewart, yes THE Chris Stewart, gave the Yanks their only other run with a solo HR, his 3rd of the year, in the top of the 5th.

- Other than those 2 homers, Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma was great.  He needed just 89 pitches to get through 7 innings, and kept the Yanks off balance with a great sinker/splitter combination.  Not that it would have mattered if he was off with the run support he got.

- Fun little deal with Alberto Gonzalez coming on to get the final out of the 9th on a 81 MPH fastball/changeup.  Even when your team is getting killed, position players pitching is always entertaining.


F*ck Yeahs:

- Wells: 1-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 LOB.  One of the precious few positives last night.

Oh Nos:

- Hughes: 0.2 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 0 K.  Hughes threw 36 pitches to get 2 outs last night, and he let all that damage happen in those 36 pitches.  Just a horrible outing, no other way to describe it.  Absolutely horrible.

- Ichiro: 0-4, 3 LOB.  Keep earning that bench spot, dude.

Next Up:

Rubber match of the series is tonight.  Andy Pettitte and Aaron Harang have the starts.