04/12: Wang Throws Complete Game 2 Hitter; Yanks Win 4-1
Posted by: Patrick
If the first game of the season against the Red Sox is like the rest of them, we'll all be walking on air. Staff ace Chien-Ming Wang had a great night, throwing a complete game for the first time since June 6 of last year. He allowed just 2 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 3 and walking no one. It took him 93 pitches to get 27 outs; it took Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz 99 pitches to retire 18. Wang's record improves to 3-0 with the win.
For the first four innings of the game, it was goose eggs for everyone. But, in the fifth, Jose Molina (who's hitting .346) doubled in Hideki Matsui for the first run of the game. The Red Sox countered in the bottom of the frame, thanks to a J.D. Drew solo home run, tying up the game. But, that was all they would get.
After six innings of work, where he held the Yankees to 1 run on 4 hits and 3 walks, Buchholz was relieved by Mike Timlin. The Yanks didn't waste any time - the first batter he faced, Jason Giambi, homered to center. Jose Molina doubled for his second hit of the game and Alberto Gonzalez sacrificed him over to third. After Timlin was pulled for Hideki Okajima, Melky Cabrera did his job, hitting a sac fly to right to score Molina. That's fundamental baseball.
In the ninth, the Yankees added one more for good measure, thanks to a 2 out RBI single by Bobby Abreu that scored Alberto Gonzalez.
Molina was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI, Matsui (hitting .342) was 2 for 3 with a run and a walk, A-Rod was 2 for 5, Giambi was 1 for 3 with a home run and a walk, Alberto Gonzalez (hitting .375 after 3 games) was 1 for 2 with a run and a walk, Abreu was 1 for 5 with an RBI and Posada was 1 for 3 with a walk in the DH role. The only Yankee who didn't really do anything offensively was Robinson Cano, who went 0 for 5 in the 2 spot with 2 strikeouts.
Today, a 3:55 PM ET, Mike Mussina (1-1, 3.09) will face off against Josh Beckett (0-1, 9.64). It'll be broadcast on Fox.
For the first four innings of the game, it was goose eggs for everyone. But, in the fifth, Jose Molina (who's hitting .346) doubled in Hideki Matsui for the first run of the game. The Red Sox countered in the bottom of the frame, thanks to a J.D. Drew solo home run, tying up the game. But, that was all they would get.
After six innings of work, where he held the Yankees to 1 run on 4 hits and 3 walks, Buchholz was relieved by Mike Timlin. The Yanks didn't waste any time - the first batter he faced, Jason Giambi, homered to center. Jose Molina doubled for his second hit of the game and Alberto Gonzalez sacrificed him over to third. After Timlin was pulled for Hideki Okajima, Melky Cabrera did his job, hitting a sac fly to right to score Molina. That's fundamental baseball.
In the ninth, the Yankees added one more for good measure, thanks to a 2 out RBI single by Bobby Abreu that scored Alberto Gonzalez.
Molina was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI, Matsui (hitting .342) was 2 for 3 with a run and a walk, A-Rod was 2 for 5, Giambi was 1 for 3 with a home run and a walk, Alberto Gonzalez (hitting .375 after 3 games) was 1 for 2 with a run and a walk, Abreu was 1 for 5 with an RBI and Posada was 1 for 3 with a walk in the DH role. The only Yankee who didn't really do anything offensively was Robinson Cano, who went 0 for 5 in the 2 spot with 2 strikeouts.
Today, a 3:55 PM ET, Mike Mussina (1-1, 3.09) will face off against Josh Beckett (0-1, 9.64). It'll be broadcast on Fox.
