Game 1 Wrap-Up: HOU 6 NYY 2

(Courtesy of the AP)

After going through an offseason that saw more roster revamping than I can ever remember, the Yankees became one of the final 2 teams to start their 2014 season when they took the field in Houston last night against the Astros.  On this night, they looked very much like an early work in progress.

Game Notes:

- Ugly, ugly start for the Yanks.  CC Sabathia wasn't sharp in the 1st inning, giving up 4 runs on 3 hits and a wild pitch.  Brian McCann's poor throw on an extra base attempt and Mark Teixeira's wide throw home attempting to prevent the second run didn't help matters.

- Sabathia's struggles continued in the 2nd.  He gave up his second HR of the game to L.J. Hoes to start off the inning, then his 6th run of the night on a 2-out single by Jose Altuve.  Before the Yanks even had a chance to turn their lineup over, they were down 6-0.

- The offense didn't do much to help the shaky Sabathia.  Scott Feldman held them to 3 baserunners (1 hit, 1 BB, 1 HBP) through 6 innings.  They loaded the bases against him in the 7th, but the bullpen got him off the hook.

- Sabathia settled down and got through 6 innings after the horrible start.  He retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced and started to find the command of his sinker and slider.  It was just too little too late.

- Speaking of which, the Yanks managed to not get shut out by tacking on 2 too little too late runs in the top of the 8th.  McCann and Teix each singled in a run to finalize the 6-2 score.

F*ck Yeahs:

- Teix: 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB.  He wasn't stinging the ball by any means, but Teix drove in a run and was on base 3 times.  That's more than anybody else in the lineup did last night.

- Dellin Betances: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  Nice debut for the potential ace up Joe's bullpen sleeve.  Heater touched 97 and he recorded both strikeouts with the curveball.

Oh Nos:

- Sabathia: 6 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 6 K.  He was bad in those first 2 innings.  Just plain bad.  Caught too much of the plate with his fastball and Houston's hitters teed off on it.  I've been saying all along that it's all about fastball location with CC and he didn't locate it worth a damn early.

- Alfonso Soriano: 0-4, 2 K, 5 LOB.  Too many ducks left on the pond.

Next Up: 

Gotta shake this one off and get right back at it tonight for game 2 of this season-opening series.  Hiroki Kuroda and Jarred Cosart are the scheduled starters.