Game 148 Wrap-Up: BOS 8 NYY 4

(Courtesy of the AP)

The last time Hiroki Kuroda pitched against the Red Sox, the Yankees got their only win of the series last weekend.  He started off slow, then found his offspeed command and gave the team 6 solid innings of 2-run ball.  They were going to need at least another repeat performance of that to have a fighting chance last night, what with the bullpen reduced to nothing and a very weak Gardner-less lineup supporting him offensively.  As it was, Kuroda's start was even slower this time, and a valiant comeback by the undermanned lineup was wasted by an equally pathetic meltdown from the undermanned bullpen.

Game Notes:

- Kuroda didn't look like he was going to last long after a 4-run 1st inning.  He gave up a 2-strike double to David Ortiz to put runners in scoring position, and a 2-out, 2-strike, 2-run double to Stephen Drew that was the big blow in the inning.

- The Yankees started to claw their way back in the top of the 3rd with, what else, a Brendan Ryan leadoff home run.  They didn't get another run until the 6th when a Robinson Cano 1-out double came around to score on Lyle Overbay's sac fly.

- Give Kuroda credit, he bounced back nicely from that awful 1st inning and held the Boston lineup at bay into the 7th.  He did load the bases in the 7th, but once again he found his stuff in the later innings and allowed just 1 hit while recording 6 GB outs from the 4th through the 6th.

- A pair of 1-out singles chased John Lackey from the game in the top of the 7th, and with 2 outs and the bases loaded Cano came through with a big 2-run double - his 4th hit of the game - to tie it up at 4.

- Kuroda left after giving up a leadoff single in the bottom of the 7th and it all went to shit.  Cesar Cabral hit Ortiz and Preston Claiborne walked Jonny Gomes to load the bases.  He struck out Daniel Nava but left a fastball up to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and watched it turn into the game-losing grand slam.

- There wasn't another comeback in the lineup after that letdown, not that anybody should have expected one.  Koji Uehara kept his consecutive batters retired streak going with a perfect 9th.

F*ck Yeahs:

- Cano: 4-4, 3 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI.  Carried the overwhelming majority of the offensive load last night.  He's quietly working himself back into the MVP discussion with a big month.

- Ryan: 2-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI.  Who said he can't hit??  Just sit Nunez all together and play Ryan, A-Rod, and Reynolds on the left side (if A-Rod's hammy is up to it).

Oh Nos:

- Curtis Granderson: 0-5, 2 K, 2 LOB.  Hardly a stellar debut in the leadoff spot.

- Bullpen: Numbers don't matter.  They hung Kuroda out to dry in the 7th and there was nothing anybody could do about it, not even Joe.  His horses needed a rest and he was at least smart enough to not put the game in Joba's hands.

Next Up:

Yanks can't afford multiple losses in a row at this point.  They need to bounce back with a win this afternoon and they need CC Sabathia to pitch well when he goes up against Jon Lester.