Yanks Get Socked 11-1

More Boos for Hughes

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 2- This is a crucial date in the start of the careers of two iconic Yankees captains. On June 1, 1925, Lou Gehrig appeared in the first of 2,130 consecutive games as a New York Yankee. Exactly 67 years later, the Yankees drafted Derek Jeter in the First Year Player Draft. The game played between the Yanks and the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night. June 1, 2013, will be one not to be remembered for current and future Yankees fans.

No runs were scored in the first two innings of the game, but in the third, the roof fell in on Yankees starter Phil Hughes. The Red Sox’s highly rated prospect, Jackie Bradley, Jr. doubled over the head of centerfielder Brett Gardner’s head. Daniel Nava followed with a single. A double was hit by Mike Carp and after Dustin Pedroia fanned, David Ortiz was intentionally walked, which filled the bases. First sacker Mike Napoli blasted the ball into the stands in right-center for his second grand slam of the season.

Red Sox skipper John Farrell commented on the motivation for Napoli, “It’s a little bit of an extra challenge and, obviously, he responded well.”

With one out in the fifth, the inconsistent Hughes was removed from the game. Not only had he given up five runs, but had thrown 100 pitches.

Rookie reliever Preston Claiborne continued his excellent work by blanking the Sox for 1.2 innings. He has pitched 16 innings this season without issuing a free pass and only yielding one run.

With Claiborne gone, the Red Sox added three runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings off Adam Warren. Jose Iglesias led off the eighth with a single, Bradley, Jr. followed with a line single to right. Nava, not fooled by an 0-2 pitch, drilled a long ball into the right field seats to score three.

The third Boston home run of the game, a solo shot by Stephen Drew, raised the team’s run total to nine in the ninth. The homer was followed by three consecutive base hits that led to two additional runs.

The Yankees sole run of the game came in the fourth after Jayson Nix and David Adams began the frame with back-to-back singles.

Boston starter Felix Doubront had another effective performance against the pinstripes. He gave up only a single run and six hits in six innings to earn the win. In 2012, the lefty was the only pitcher to have four quality starts against New York. Farrell explained his success by saying, “Sometimes guys just match up well against certain teams.”

The Red Sox pen men were again outstanding, blanking the Yanks in three frames. They relievers have allowed only four runs in the last 13 road games, 36.2 innings.

A pitchers’ duel is anticipated for the rubber game on Sunday night as Hiroki Kuroda (6-3) and Clay Buccholz (7-0) will start.