Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
It wasn’t necessarily a thing a beauty, but New York Yankees pitcher Hiroki Kuroda managed to put up seven scoreless innings on Tuesday and pick up his fourth win of the season. The Japanese right-hander was in trouble each of the first three innings with multiple runners in each frame. Somehow he stranded a runner at third in each situation and then lasted four more innings before turning things over to the bullpen. He lowered his earned run average to a very respectable 2.25.
After a loss in his first start of the season, a game he left early after taking a line drive off his pitching hand, Kuroda has picked up four wins and no losses in five starts. He has been the team’s most consistent starter since he signed on with the Bronx Bombers in January 2012.
It was a good thing that Kuroda was able to go seven because the bullpen provided little relief. David Robertson allowed two runs in the eighth. The Yankees led 7-2 going into the ninth, yet still needed Mariano Rivera to close out the game and pick up a save. Shawn Kelley allowed two runs in the final frame before giving way to Rivera. Kelley has been shaky this first month of the season and it may be time for the Yankees to think about sending him down.
I must admit I am shocked at how successful Kuroda has been with the Yankees. When he first signed on I thought he was going to bomb in the Bronx. I saw that he had good numbers, but figured they were the product of a friendly pitcher’s park in Los Angeles. I just hope Kuroda can keep proving me wrong.
Darren Pare is a MLB writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter at dpare71, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
