Vidal Nuno (1-2, 5.33 ERA) gets the start in Seattle against Hisashi Iwakuma (4-2, 2.66 ERA) after his start in KC was pushed back due to rain. Nuno had gone three straight starts pitching at least six innings until The A’s knocked him out after just 4 2/3 Wednesday. They tagging him for two runs on six hits.”I felt in a groove the first few innings, it’s just the last two innings leadoff hitters got on and that got me into trouble,” Nuno said. In his last two outings he has given up four home runs at home. In seven career starts in the Bronx he is 0-3 with a 6.21 ERA. In five career starts away from Yankee Stadium, he has a 2.08 ERA.
Iwakuma missed the first month of the season with a torn finger tendon but has been outstanding since his return. He blanked the Braves for seven innings in his last outing allowing six hits and no walks with seven K’s. He is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in three career starts against the Yanks. “This guy is a surgeon,” Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. “He knows what he’s doing and what he wants to do to execute with certain guys.”
Shawn Kelley made his second rehab appearance Monday after playing in a game for Double-A Trenton over the weekend. Girardi said that if all goes according to plan he could rejoin the Yanks Wednesday in Seattle.
Notes on the game
Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 13 games on Sunday.
Iwakuma has a 27-13 record and a 2.82 ERA in 56 career starts in Seattle. He finished third in last year’s AL Cy Young voting.
First pitch at 10:10 PM on Yes
