Wise, Kuroda Carry Yankees Past White Sox 4-0

The thing about veteran players coming up from the minor leagues is that you pretty much know what you're going to get. They're down in the minors for a reason. What you're really hoping for is to catch lightning in a bottle for awhile if need be. It's usually for the best if that situation doesn't come to pass, but there are worse problems to have than a veteran playing well in Triple-A.

What a strange week for Dewayne Wise. For someone who has basically been an afterthought even after a weaponized form of the plague struck the outfield, he sure stole the headlines this week. Well, at least this one. A catch that was a wasn't a catch but was still a catch, somehow getting Paul Konerko to fly out, plus another out (!), in a relief appearance and whatever happened to him today. He is lightning in a bottle in a nutshell, which might be considered dangerous. Can't imagine that being safe to be around.

Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano did their parts to help the offense with a solo home run each, but what the hell, Wise? Jake Peavy couldn't get him out today, serving up an RBI double, a solo home run into the second deck and a punched single. When it's going good those kinds of things will happen. Not really sure how much longer we can expect this to keep going, but at least we've gotten this much out of him.

What we can expect to keep going, at least if today is any indication, is Hiroki Kuroda pitching lights out. His last six starts have been above average by game score, so it's not completely unexpected, but today's start was somewhat unexpected. You didn't expect an 11 strikeout, three hit performance over seven innings from Kuroda. Stop lying. The splitter worked, the slider worked, the fastball worked; Kuroda worked. He did exactly what the Yankees desperately needed him to do; pitch deep and give the bullpen a rest.

David Robertson bounced back from his Dayan Viciedoing to pitch a scoreless eighth and Rafael Soriano closed it out in relief of Boone Logan. Logan walking Adam Dunn is odd. Lefties have to actively try to not get him out. The whole thing is sketchy. Somehow, Dewayne Wise is involved in this nonsense.

Box Score. Math Class.

Play of the Game: Dewayne Wise's double in the second inning to put the Yankees up 1-0. (+9.9%) Yeah, it was that kind of game.

Phil Hughes will pitch for the series split tomorrow against Gavin Floyd. Pray for snow.