The first Sox series of the season comes to a close with Ivan Nova (1-1, 8.68 ERA) taking on Felix Doubront (1-1, 9.00 ERA). Nova’s two starts of the year have been battles. He survived without his curveball on April 3rd in Houston with the help of four double plays. He wasn’t so lucky against the O’s in New York, lacking both his curve and sinker which lead to seven Baltimore runs.
Like Nova, Doubton struggled in his last start against the Rangers. He gave up six hits, walked five and allowed three runs over just 2 2/3 innings. He is 3-2 with a 4.17 ERA lifetime against the Yankees.
The Yankees hold a 2-1 lead in the young season over the Sox and hope their offense has finally come alive to help them take the series. Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Alfonso Soriano combined to go 8-15 with six runs, a double, four homers, six RBIs and a walk in the Yanks’ 7-4 win on Saturday. “I think that’s what we’re capable of. We have a deep lineup that gets on base,” McCann said. “We’re capable of big innings. So far, so good.” “Our lineup is much more balanced,” Joe Girardi added. “I think it’s much more explosive too.”
Ellsbury is enjoying a successful first homestand in the pinstripes.He was 2-3 with a bunt single, a stolen base and a walk on Saturday, and is 4-10 with an RBI in the series. Total in the Bronx he is 9-22 and has 16 hits in his last 36 at bats
Notes on the game
The Yankees are 5-1 this season when they score first, and 0-6 when trailing or tied after six innings. They’re 6-0 when leading after six.
Soriano made his first regular season appearance in right field on Saturday. He had previously played there for one inning in Game 5 of the 2003 World Series against the Marlins. He has also homered in back to back games.
First pitch at 8:05 PM on ESPN.
