Sports-Yankees

Yankees Woes Continue
Red Sox Win, 7-4
Hiroki Kuroda Injured

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 4- Yankees fans who braved the cold and windy weather conditions on Wednesday night were again subjected to disappointment by what they witnessed on the field.

As in Game One on Monday, the Red Sox jumped off to an early advantage. Three singles in the top of the first inning led to the first run of the contest. Catcher Jarrod Saltamacchia knocked in the run for Boston.

The Red Sox loaded the bases in the second with a single, a walk and a hit batsman. The lead runner, rookie Jackie Bradley, Jr., crossed the plate after Daniel Nava was hit by a pitch.

The Yankees troubles in inning #2 began with the first batter. Yankee starter Hiroki Kuroda tried to grab a sharply hit ball up-the-middle by Shane Victorino. Kuroda remained in the game but could no longer control his pitches and was removed after facing four more batters after Victorino, having suffered a contusion of his right middle finger. Further tests were ordered to determine the extent of the injury.

Cody Eppley who replaced Kuroda in the second, gave up four singles and four runs in the third, which ensured the positive outcome of the game for Boston. Singles by Victorino, Bradley, Jr., Jose Iglesias, and Jacoby Ellsbury accounted for the four runs. The hit by Bradley was his first in the majors.

The Yankees, as on opening day, scored their first run in the fourth. Designated hitter Travis Hafner blasted his first home run as a Yankee.

In the sixth, the Red Sox increased their lead to six, 7-1, as an infield single by Mike Napoli knocked in their seventh run.

Red Sox starter Clay Buccholz earned the win by surrendering only one run and six hits in seven innings.

The Yankees were not without bright spots in their second game of the season. Vernon Wells hit successfully three times in the contest, including a three-run homer off former Yankee Alfredo Aceeves in the eighth. After the contest, Wells commented about playing with the Yankees, “I’ve always enjoyed playing here. It’s like home. My goal since the off-season is just to get better, so I can be capable of helping this team.”

Another pleasant surprise for Yankees fans was the performance of reliever Adam Warren. The 25 year-old right hander pitched 5.1 innings, thus, relieving pressure on his bullpen mates. The University of North Carolina grad, who made his Yankees debut late in the 2012 season, only gave up one run and five hits in his 86 pitch stint.

The finale of the three game series is scheduled to be played on Thursday night. Veteran Andy Pettitte will be on the mound for New York and Ryan Dempster, 0-4 in five previous games against the Yankees, will start for Boston.