Pettitte Leads Yanks To Win Number Two

(REUTERS/Dave Kaup and AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NYY	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0		4	7	0
KC	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	4	0

I bet nobody though the Yankees' best start in their first four games would come from Andy Pettitte, but sure enough that's exactly what they got from the veteran left-hander. In seven innings Pettitte allowed just one run on three hits, walked one, and struck out six as the Yanks picked up their second win of the new season. Pettitte threw 99 pitches on the day, 64 for strikes. He had everything working, especially his curveball, and looked sharp from beginning to end.

The lone run scored on a ball that should have been caught, a fly ball to right that Nick Swisher misplayed and turned into a double. I'm not sure if he lost the ball in the sun or just thought it was hit harder, but one way or another he should have caught the ball.

The bullpen was flawless for the third game in a row. Brian Bruney came on in the eight and retired the Royals in order, striking out two. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth, also striking out two, and picked up his first save of the year.

The Yankees offense got to Royals starter and former Yankee Sidney Ponson early when Jorge Posada gave lined a two-out single past the first baseman to score Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira.

In the top of the fourth - an inning following his defensive blunder - Nick Swisher got his redemption by smashing an RBI double into the left-center field gap extending the Yankees lead back to two. He later scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Derek Jeter and the Yankees led 4-1.

Robinson Cano continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Mark Teixeira also had a nice game, he went 1-for-2, with a double, walked twice, and scored a run.

It was a nice win for the Yankees, pretty much exactly as you would want it to be. Solid starting pitching, timely hitting, and great work out of the bullpen. Hopefully they can do that about 98 more times. ... By the way, the renovations to Kauffman Stadium look pretty good.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	5	0	0	1	0	1	1	.278
Damon, LF	4	1	1	0	0	1	1	.267
Teixeira, 1B	2	1	1	0	2	1	0	.250
Matsui, DH	4	0	0	0	0	2	4	.071
Posada, C	4	0	1	2	0	2	2	.273
Cano, 2B	3	1	2	0	1	0	0	.571
Swisher, RF	4	1	1	1	0	2	4	.500
Cabrera, M, RF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Ransom, 3B	4	0	0	0	0	1	1	.071
Gardner, CF	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	.286
Totals	33	4	7	4	3	11	13
BATTING 2B: Swisher (3, Ponson), Teixeira (2, Ponson). TB: Damon; Teixeira 2; Posada; Cano 2; Swisher 2; Gardner. RBI: Posada 2 (3), Swisher (6), Jeter (3). 2-out RBI: Posada 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Swisher 2. S: Gardner. Team RISP: 1-for-8. Team LOB: 6. BASERUNNING PO: Gardner (1st base by Wright, J).

ROYALS OFFENSE

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Pettitte (W, 1-0)	7.0	3	1	1	1	6	0	1.29
Bruney (H, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	7.71
Rivera (S, 1)	1.0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0.00

ROYALS PITCHING

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Andy Pettitte - 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

HONORABLE MENTION: Jorge Posada - 1-for-4, 2 RBI

Game two of this three game series is tomorrow night at Kauffman Stadium. CC Sabathia will look to rebound from his poor opening day start for the Yanks, and left-hander Horacio Ramirez will be starting for the Royals. Game time is set for 7:10 p.m., and the game will be on YES and WCBS 880.