New York Yankees 4 — Los Angeles Angels 3
The Yankees got a great effort by Hiroki Kuroda in tonight’s game in Anaheim.
Entering tonight with an ERA north of 5.00, Hiroki Kuroda needed to find the success he had early in last season. In the first two innings, Kuroda had it. In the third inning, the shift would come back to bite the veteran righty. Catcher Hank Conger would defy the shift to right field with a hit to left center field. Outfielder Collin Cowgill dropped a sacrifice bunt that Yangervis Solarte would throw away allowing runners to reach second and third with no outs. The Angels would hit to their situation with a pair of sacrifice flies to bring home two runs.
The Yankees would not get to C.J. Wilson until the fifth inning. The bottom third of the lineup would bring home the Yankees first run. Solarte opened with a single and Brett Gardner would follow with a single of his own. Brian Roberts would hit the third consecutive single, bringing home Solarte for the first run. Ellsbury would hit into a double play but the second run for the Yankees would score.
The third run would come in the eighth inning after Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch. After Beltran singled and Jeter would be caught between home and third, Alfonso Soriano would come through with a single bringing home Beltran and giving the Yankees the lead.
Hiroki Kuroda would get the first two outs in the eighth inning before Mike Trout would hit a deep fly ball to right field that hit off the big wall. Trout would slide into third with a triple and it also ended Kuroda’s night.
After 34 pitches in yesterday’s horror of a game, Shawn Kelley got the call in this big spot. This questionable decision would prove painful for the Yankees as Albert Pujols hit a game-tying single and Hiroki Kuroda’s best start of the season would see no decision
In 7.2 innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits and eight strikeouts while walking none. I’ll take that any day.
C.J. Wilson would be replaced in the ninth inning with the struggling reliever, Ernesto Frieri. The Angels reliever would get the first two outs before Brian Roberts jumped on the first pitch fastball. Roberts would put the fastball into right field and his first home run gave the Yankees the lead in the ninth inning.
Pitching for the first time since May 2, David Robertson came in for the save. Robertson would strike out Ian Stewart and got Raul Ibanez to fly out. Rookie C.J. Cron would pop out to the hero of tonight’s game, Brian Roberts, to end the game and get the Yankees a tough win.
Win – Shawn Kelley (1-2)
Loss – Ernesto Frieri (0-3)
Save – David Robertson (5)
Notables
Yankees
*Brian Roberts – 2 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (1) in the 9th, 2 RBI (6)
*Alfonso Soriano – 1 for 4, RBI (13)
Angels
*Albert Pujols – 2 for 4, RBI (26)
*Mike Trout – 1 for 3, R, 3B, RBI (20(
Current Yankees Record: 17-15
