06/21: Volquez Ends Yankees' Winning Streak
Posted by: Patrick
The Yankees got a taste of the extremely hot Edinson Volquez on Friday night and he did to them what he's been doing to the rest of baseball, allowing just 2 earned runs over 7 innings. This actually brought his ERA up, from 1.64 to 1.71. He was followed by the Reds relief duo of Jared Burton and Francisco Cordero, both having great seasons of their own. Neither would allow a run.
To his credit, Mike Mussina turned in another very solid outing, throwing 8 innings, allowing 4 runs and giving the pen a rest. It took him 110 pitches to get there, with 76 being strikes. It was the second time in three starts that Moose has thrown 8 innings. When was the last time that Moose threw 8 or more innings in two out of three starts? You'd have to go back to September 9 and September 14 of 2004, where he threw 8 innings each in back to back starts.
The Reds score first with a solo home run in the second, but the Yankees came back with a Johnny Damon RBI single, scoring Melky Cabrera, in the third. Moose hung tough with Volquez until the top of the fifth inning with two outs. After Edwin Encarnacion doubled and Corey Patterson sacrificed him to third, Moose drew a huge ground out from Paul Bako that kept the runner at third with two outs.
The Yankees elected to walk Jay Bruce and face Jolbert Cabrera. But, Cabrera (who was 2 for 2 coming into the at bat and ended up 4 for 4 on the day) doubled, scoring both Encarnacion and Bruce. Ken Griffey, Jr. followed with a single that scored Colbert. Brandon Phillips was retired, but the damage was done and the Reds had a lead that the Yankees would not be able to threaten. 4-2, Reds.
Outside of that three run fifth, Mussina's other seven innings would yield only that one run in the second. In relief, Billy Traber put together a 1-2-3 ninth to keep the Reds at bay, but the Yankees offense just couldn't get anything going, outside of an RBI single in the 7th, where Cano drove in A-Rod. Cano, who was 2 for 3, now finds his batting average at .232. This is the highest that it's been since almost a month ago (May 24).
The Yankees and Reds will pick it up again today at 1:05 PM ET. The pitching match up, to the general baseball fan, can probably be summed up as: "Who are these guys?" Daryl Thompson will make the first start (and appearance) of his major league career. Meanwhile, Dan Giese (1-1, 1.23) fills in for our wounded ace, Chien-Ming Wang.
To his credit, Mike Mussina turned in another very solid outing, throwing 8 innings, allowing 4 runs and giving the pen a rest. It took him 110 pitches to get there, with 76 being strikes. It was the second time in three starts that Moose has thrown 8 innings. When was the last time that Moose threw 8 or more innings in two out of three starts? You'd have to go back to September 9 and September 14 of 2004, where he threw 8 innings each in back to back starts.
The Reds score first with a solo home run in the second, but the Yankees came back with a Johnny Damon RBI single, scoring Melky Cabrera, in the third. Moose hung tough with Volquez until the top of the fifth inning with two outs. After Edwin Encarnacion doubled and Corey Patterson sacrificed him to third, Moose drew a huge ground out from Paul Bako that kept the runner at third with two outs.
The Yankees elected to walk Jay Bruce and face Jolbert Cabrera. But, Cabrera (who was 2 for 2 coming into the at bat and ended up 4 for 4 on the day) doubled, scoring both Encarnacion and Bruce. Ken Griffey, Jr. followed with a single that scored Colbert. Brandon Phillips was retired, but the damage was done and the Reds had a lead that the Yankees would not be able to threaten. 4-2, Reds.
Outside of that three run fifth, Mussina's other seven innings would yield only that one run in the second. In relief, Billy Traber put together a 1-2-3 ninth to keep the Reds at bay, but the Yankees offense just couldn't get anything going, outside of an RBI single in the 7th, where Cano drove in A-Rod. Cano, who was 2 for 3, now finds his batting average at .232. This is the highest that it's been since almost a month ago (May 24).
The Yankees and Reds will pick it up again today at 1:05 PM ET. The pitching match up, to the general baseball fan, can probably be summed up as: "Who are these guys?" Daryl Thompson will make the first start (and appearance) of his major league career. Meanwhile, Dan Giese (1-1, 1.23) fills in for our wounded ace, Chien-Ming Wang.
