Texas Rangers 0 — New York Yankees 3
Hiroki Kuroda threw a two-hit shutout in tonight’s 3-0 win over the Texas Rangers.
Hiroki Kuroda pitched 9 outstanding innings with just 2 hits and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts on 109 pitches. Until the 7th inning, the only baserunners were by walks. The first hit came on an infield hit by Elvis Andrus that Jayson Nix made a diving stop at as shortstop but could not get the speedy Rangers shortstop. Kuroda received a standing ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd in appreciation of his attempt at a no-hitter. The next hit would come in the 8th inning by Michael Young. Kuroda had a sharp slider breaking away from right-handed batters and a sinker with the bottom dropping out on lefties as he got one of the top offenses in the league looking weak. Following a poor start to his first year as a Yankee, Kuroda has settled down to be the Yankees ace of the staff as he has maintained consistency and health as he can be counted on to go deep into games as well as keep games close, everything the Yankees had hoped for.
On the other side, Rangers starter Matt Harrison was matching Kuroda with shutout baseball too. Through 6.1 innings, Harrison didn’t allow a run in and was pulled out of the game with a runner on 1st and his pitch count at 106. Reliever Alexi Ogando took over and faced Nick Swisher first. In an 8-pitch duel with Ogando, Nick Swisher finally got a hold of a 98-mph fastball and put the Yankees on the board with a no-doubt two-run home run. Mark Teixeira went back-to-back with Swisher as he took a 99-mph fastball out on a laser into the short porch. Derek Jeter and Casey McGehee each got two hits in tonight’s game as well. This was more than enough offense with the way Kuroda was pitching tonight, without a doubt, the best pitching performance of the year.
Win – Hiroki Kuroda (11-8)
Loss – Matt Harrison (13-7)
Notable
Rangers
*Elvis Andrus – 1 for 3, BB
*Michael Young – 1 for 3
Yankees
*Nick Swisher – 1 for 4, R, 2-Run Home Run (16) in the 7th, 2 RBI (65)
*Mark Teixeira – 2 for 4, R, 2B, Solo Home Run (23) in the 7th, RBI (77)
Current Yankees Record: 69-47
