Yankees game 67: Kuroda, defense cannot control in defeat

New York Yankees 1 -- Oakland Athletics 5

Control of the baseball would be huge in tonight's game, snapping a four-game winning streak.

After retiring the first four batters faced, Hiroki Kuroda would lose command of his pitches. Yoenis Cespedes would walk and after a strike out of Jed Lowrie, Stephen Vogt would hit a single and Andy Parrino would walk to load the bases. Two baserunners reached by Kuroda's doing and it would come back to haunt him. Eric Sogard would hit a single to center field scoring two and putting the A's ahead.

A's starter Scott Kazmir would lose the strike zone in the third inning and his defense would lack some control too. After a two-out walk and single, Derek Jeter would hit a ground ball to shortstop Andy Parrino. The shortstop would air mail his throw over first baseman Brandon Moss and a run would score on the error. Kazmir would walk Jacoby Ellsbury to load the bases but Alfonso Soriano would ground into a force out to end the rally and keep the Yankees trailing by one.

In the fifth inning, the dreaded leadoff walk would haunt Kuroda. After a walk to Eric Sogard, the speedy Coco Crisp would drop a bunt down the third base line. With the cut of the grass on the infield, it looked like this bunt would go foul but Kelly Johnson thought differently and attempted to field the ball but the throw was off line and Crisp was safe at first. The defensive woes around Kuroda would just be getting started in this inning. During the next at-bat, catcher J.R. Murphy would allow a passed ball putting runners in scoring position. Jaso would productively ground out to first base and the third A's run would score. A second passed ball would allow another run to score and the A's were ahead by a score of 4-1.

A walk, a poor decision by Kelly Johnson and a pair of passed balls all led to two runs in the fifth inning and the early end to Kuroda's night. In 4.2 innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed four runs on five hits while walking three and striking out three. His command of his pitches clearly eluded him in tonight's start. The Kuroda start lasted about 38 minutes longer than expected because of a rather unusual (and long) delay...

The A's would score one more run in the sixth inning but Scott Kazmir and the A's bullpen silenced the Yankees. Over six innings, Scott Kazmir allowed one unearned run on three hits while walking three and striking out two. The bullpen would shut down the Yankees for the remaining three innings. As a whole, the Yankees only mustered up three hits. Jacoby Ellsbury's 17-game hitting streak was snapped tonight as he went hitless in three at-bats with a walk.

Win - Scott Kazmir (8-2)

Loss - Hiroki Kuroda (4-5)

Notables

Yankees

*Kelly Johnson - 1 for 2, R, BB, 2B

*Brett Gardner - 1 for 4

Athletics

*Eric Sogard - 1 for 3, R, BB, 2 RBI (9)

*Andy Parrino - 1 for 3, BB, 2B, RBI (1)

Current Yankees Record: 35-32