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Perhaps the best part of this game was Jason Kidd throwing out the first pitch. A nice gesture by the Yankees to honor the future NBA hall of famer and new Brooklyn Nets head coach. And there's also the fact that his pitching tonight was better than the guy the Yankees are paying.
Phil Hughes was bad. Again. Right from the first inning on he didn't have it. Back to back RBI singles by Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez put the Dodgers up 2-0 before he even recorded an out. The Dodgers got five hits in the first inning, and continued to knock Phil Hughes around throughout the game.
Andre Ethier picked up an RBI double in the third and the Dodgers got two more in the fifth, via another RBI single by Ramirez and then a sac fly by Jerry Hairston. Phil Hughes' final line tonight: Six innings, ten hits, five runs (all earned) and three strikeouts. If you want to look for a positive, it's that he didn't walk anybody and that he didn't give up a home run. Not much positive to look for in Phil Hughes these days.
Adam Warren relieved Hughes in the seventh and gave up a home run to the Dodgers Cuban phenom Yasiel Puig. Puig continued his ridiculous start to his major league career with a 2-4 night. That raised his batting average to .474 in over 50 ABs. Why can't the Yankees have someone like this?
Speaking of the Yankees, they apparently used all of their offensive ability in game one, as they were completely absent tonight. Clayton Kershaw Chris Capuano came back from his injury to throw six shutout innings, allowing just three hits. Yes, this is the same Chris Capuano that came into this game with a 5.45 ERA. He gave up five runs in two innings to the San Diego Padres once this season. But none of that mattered tonight.
The only time the Yankees even looked like they may get something going offensively was in the fourth. Jayson Nix led off with an infield single and Robinson Cano hit what looked like a double into the right center field gap. Except Andre Ethier made a perfect throw to nail Cano at second base. Vernon Wells then popped out to center (surprise to no one), and Thomas Neal flew out to strand Nix at third.
Chris Withrow and Brandon League combined to throw the final three innings, holding the Yankees hitless and sealing the win.
Game Notes:
- Zoilo Almonte made his major league debut tonight, pinch hitting for Austin Romine in the ninth. He grounded out sharply to third, although to be honest that may have been the hardest hit Yankee ball of the night. Almonte was originally expected to start the game, but Girardi opted to to with Vernon Wells and Thomas Neal in the lineup instead. If you can think of a good reason for this, please let me know. Because I can't think of one.
- Speaking of Austin Romine, he is one of the worst hitters Yankees history with a minimum of 70 plate appearances.
- Vernon Wells has not homered since May 15th. On that day, he had a .301/.357/.538 line. It was at .230/.273/.383 coming into this game. After another 0-3 those will go down even more. Talk about falling off a cliff. Hurry back Grandy.
The Yankees just were never in this one from the start. Andy Pettitte will get the ball tomorrow night as they look to rebound against Matt Moore and the Tampa Bay Rays.
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