New York Yankees 2 — Oakland Athletics 5
Nine walks was just part of the poor pitching in tonight’s 5-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
Phil Hughes started tonight’s game and in the second inning, the home run would haunt Hughes once again. With one on, Brandon Moss would hit his first of two home runs tonight. A walk to Eric Sogard in the fifth inning would develop further. During the next at-bat, without checking Sogard at first base, the A’s second baseman would get a huge jump and steal second base standing. Catcher John Jaso would bring home Sogard with a double to give the A’s a three-run lead.
In 4.1 innings, Hughes allowed three runs on four hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Pitch count was at 95, far too high by the fifth inning.
The Yankees could not get to A’s starter Dan Straily through the first five innings. In the sixth inning, Brett Gardner would walk and Robinson Cano would single him over to third base. A line drive into right field would be deep enough to be a sacrifice fly. The score was now 3-1. The Yankees would generate one more run in the seventh inning when Nix singled in Kevin Youkilis.
After assisting Boone Logan with the seventh inning, Joba Chamberlain would get the eighth. In an 11-pitch at-bat, Brandon Moss would leadoff the eighth inning with his second home run of the game. Eric Sogard would reach base again and sneak up on Joba just like Hughes. Without a throw or a look from Chamberlain, Sogard steal second again. John Jaso would single in Sogard and by the end of the eighth inning, Preston Claiborne would walk his first major league batter but would tally a strikeout to end the inning with a three-run deficit.
In the ninth inning, Grant Balfour would have the tying run come during a two-out rally. A walk by Kevin Youkilis and a single by Ichiro Suzuki would put Jayson Nix in a position to tie the game with a long ball. A bat-shattering comebacker to Balfour would be the end of the game.
Phil Hughes inability to get a quality start coupled with his inability to finish at-bats with less pitches really hurt the Yankees’ chances of winning tonight.
Win – Dan Straily (4-2)
Loss – Phil Hughes (3-5)
Save – Grant Balfour (17)
Notables
Yankees
*Jayson Nix – 1 for 4, RBI (17)
*Ichiro Suzuki – 2 for 4
Athletics
*Brandon Moss – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 HR (11; 2-Run & Solo) in the 2nd & 8th, 3 RBI (33)
*John Jaso – 2 for 4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI (17)
Current Yankees Record: 37-28
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