Hughes Only Lasts Four, but Yanks Win 5-1

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Chi. White Sox	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	6	0
N.Y. Yankees	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	X		5	8	0

Phil Hughes made his return to the mound tonight for the Yanks, and had a decent game - while he was out there. Hughes only gave up a run on four hits, which, besides the walks, isn't bad at all. But Hughes had to throw 89 pitches (57 strikes) to get through just four innings and couldn't even get into the 5th. That's not going to cut it.

He had some command issues and got into too many deep counts. But his biggest problem of the night was his inability to put hitters away. The Sox hitters seemed to foul off every two strike pitch they saw.

Overall it wasn't a terrible start, he did better than his last time on the mound (6 ER in 3.2 IP), but he obviously still has things to work on.

Because of Hughes' short outing the bullpen had to come in a little early tonight. Phil Coke pitched two more scoreless innings; since being called up Coke has allowed just three hits and a walk in ten scoreless innings, and has struck out six. Not too shabby. Brian Bruney, Joba Chamberlain, and Edwar Ramirez each pitched one scoreless inning to close out the game for the Yanks. Great job by the bullpen tonight.

For the first six innings another no-name with a 6+ ERA shut the Yankees down, this time it was Clayton Richard and his 2-4 record and 6.94 ERA coming into to today's contest, but finally in the 7th the Yankees broke through for a couple runs. Xavier Nady tied the game at one with a RBI single in the inning. Then, two batters later Nady scored the lead run on wild pitch.

The Yankees put the game away with three more runs in the 8th, two coming on a two-run homer by Johnny Damon, his 15th of the year. The final run came on Alex Rodriguez's 35th homer of the season. With the homer A-Rod has now hit 35 or more homers in 12 different seasons, tying the record previously held by Babe Ruth. He also passed The Babe to become the first player in major league history to have 35 homers and 100 RBI in 12 different seasons.

If you were wondering the Red Sox lost tonight so the Yankees' tragic number is still three.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF	3	1	1	2	1	1	2	.308
Gardner, CF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.185
Jeter, SS	4	0	0	0	0	1	3	.304
Abreu, RF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.296
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	2	1	1	1	2	0	.305
Giambi, 1B	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	.250
Ransom, 1B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.348
Nady, DH	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	.311
Cano, 2B	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	.262
Rodriguez, I, C	3	0	1	0	0	0	2	.279
Cabrera, CF-LF	3	1	1	0	0	0	3	.243
Totals	30	5	8	4	2	6	11
BATTING 2B: Cano (31, Richard). HR: Damon (15, 8th inning off Linebrink, 1 on, 0 out), Rodriguez, A (35, 8th inning off Linebrink, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Damon 4; Rodriguez, A 4; Nady; Cano 4; Rodriguez, I; Cabrera. RBI: Nady (91), Damon 2 (66), Rodriguez, A (101). 2-out RBI: Nady; Rodriguez, A. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Jeter; Rodriguez, I. GIDP: Jeter; Cabrera. Team LOB: 3.

WHITE SOX OFFENSE

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Hughes	4.0	4	1	1	2	4	0	7.96
Coke	2.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Bruney (W, 3-0)	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2.03
Chamberlain (H, 16)	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	2.53
Ramirez	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3.98

WHITE SOX PITCHING

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Robinson Cano (3-for-3, 2B)

HONORABLE MENTION: Johnny Damon (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB) and Alex Rodriguez (12 seasons with 35 HR, ties Ruth's record)

The final game of ths four game series is tomorrow night at The Stadium. Mike Mussina starts for the Yanks, and he will face Javy Vazquez. First Pitch: 7:05 p.m. - TV: YES - Radio: WCBS 880