Texas @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2009 ) Texas 7, NY Yankees 2
One year ago today, the inaugural game was played at the new Yankee Stadium. And newly acquired ace CC Sabathia was on the mound against his former team, the Cleveland Indians.
Sabathia needed 122 pitches to get through 5 2/3 innings and the game eventually ended in a 10-2 loss for the Yankees.
Sabathia, of course, would like a better performance today in his first start in Yankee Stadium this year, as he faces C.J. Wilson and the Texas.
Sabathia is riding a high going into the game, as he had a no-hitter for 7 2/3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. Rays catcher Kelly Shoppach broke up the no-hit bid with single to left, which also ended Sabathia’s day.
But, after the game, Yankees manager Joe Girardi made a surprising statement, saying that Shoppach would have been Sabathia’s last batter regardless of what had happened because of a high pitch count (111).
Whether that would’ve actually happened, Sabathia will face the Rangers for the first time as a Yankee.
In 13 career starts against Texas, Sabathia is 7-3 with a 4.50 ERA. He has held most of Texas’ hot hitters in check. Josh Hamilton is 0-for-7 with three strikeouts against Sabathia and Vladimir Guerrero is 3-for-15 with three strikeouts. Third baseman Michael Young has had some success, though, going 11-for-35 (.314 average) against the big lefty.
Offensively for the Yankees, Robinson Cano belted two home runs and Derek Jeter also went deep in a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
The Rangers, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after two eighth-inning errors cost them Thursday’s game against Cleveland.
Wilson was scheduled to start Wednesday at Cleveland, but he was scratched because of food poisoning.
In his first start of the season, Wilson looked sharp, throwing seven scoreless innings and allowing only five hits with nine strikeouts against Toronto on April 8.
But Wilson didn’t pick up the victory when the Rangers bullpen couldn’t make a 1-0 lead stand up and the Blue Jays rallied for a 3-1 victory.
Still, it was quite a debut for Wilson, who moved from the bullpen into the rotation in spring training. Against the Yankees, Wilson has a 3.24 ERA in 17 lifetime relief appearances.
Nick Swisher (5-for-13) and Jeter (2-for-6) have past success against Wilson, while Alex Rodriguez (0-for-9) and Cano (2-for-9) have not.