Yanks Defeat the Rival Red Sox

The Yankees improve to 9-7 for the spring with today's victory over the hated Boston Red Sox today at the soon to be named Steinbrenner Field 8-4. Andy Pettitte got the start for the Yankees, he looked sharp and his elbow seemed to be fine, although he did say he didn't feel 100% comfortable. Pettitte threw 3.1 IP and allowed 3 runs on 3 hits. He also struck out 3 and walked 2. Pettitte's line would have been even better had Johnny Damon not lost a ball in the sun leading to a couple runs. Pettitte also gave up a solo HR to Kevin Youkilis. Heath Phillips pitched .2 of an inning and gave up 1 run on 3 hits. Johnathan Albaladejo had a good outing, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing no runs on 2 hits and a walk, he also struck out 1. Billy Traber was very good again, he pitched 1.2 perfect innings, and struck out 2. Brian Bruney and Scott Strickland pitched a scoreless inning each. Bruney was throwing very hard, consistantly hitting 99 and 100 MPH on the YES network gun, which is probably a little fast.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Pettitte (W, 1-0)	3.1	3	3	3	2	3	1	5.63
Phillips (H, 3)	0.2	3	1	1	0	0	0	9.00
Albaladejo (H, 2)	1.1	2	0	0	1	1	0	4.91
Traber (H, 1)	1.2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0.00
Bruney (H, 2)	1.0	0	0	0	1	2	0	3.38
Strickland	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	4.50

RED SOX PITCHING

The Yankee offense jumped all over Bartolo Colon in the first inning scoring 4 times and knocking the portly right-hander out of the game after just .2 of an inning. The Yankees loaded the bases, then Hideki Matsui (2-for-2, 3 RBI) and Robinson Cano (2-for-3, 2 RBI)both followed with 2-run doubles. The Yanks scored 3 more runs in the 2nd off Freddy Krueger Julian Tavares. Bobby Abreu (2-2, 2B, HR, 2RBI, 3R, BB ) hit a two-run home run and and following a Jason Giambi double, Matsui picked up his third RBI of the day with a single. The Yankees final run came in the 4th when Abreu scored on a Jorge Posada DP (0-for-3, R). Jason Giambi (2-for-3, 2B, R) had two hits on the day.

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.242
Ransom, LF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.269
Jeter, SS	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	.233
Gonzalez, SS	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.263
Abreu, RF	2	3	2	2	1	0	0	.462
a-Lane, PH-RF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.257
Giambi, 1B	3	1	2	0	0	1	2	.375
b-Ensberg, PH-1B	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	.333
Posada, C	3	1	0	0	1	1	3	.160
Anson, C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333
Matsui, DH	4	1	3	3	0	0	0	.333
Cano, 2B	3	0	2	2	0	0	1	.447
Castro, B, 2B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.231
Betemit, 3B	2	0	0	0	1	1	2	.161
Green, 3B	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	.167
Cabrera, CF	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	.375
Gardner, B, CF	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.417
Totals	35	8	12	7	3	5	11
a-Popped out for Abreu in the 6th. b-Singled for Giambi in the 6th.
BATTING 2B: Matsui (2, Colon), Giambi (2, Tavarez), Abreu (2, Tavarez). HR: Abreu (2, 2nd inning off Tavarez, 1 on, 1 out). TB: Jeter; Abreu 6; Giambi 3; Ensberg; Matsui 4; Cano 2; Green. RBI: Matsui 3 (4), Cano 2 (11), Abreu 2 (6). 2-out RBI: Matsui 3; Cano 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera; Betemit. GIDP: Posada. Team LOB: 7.

RED SOX HITTING

The next game for the Bombers will be tomorrow afternoon at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Va. Jeff Karstens will start for the Yankees, and freshman right-hander Austin Wates will start for the Hokies. The game starts at 3:00 p.m., and can be seen on YES and MLB.TV.