Wednesday, April 2, 2014

From the Office of the County Clerk - G2: Astros v. Yankees

Hiroki Kuroda (0-0, -.--) vs Jarred Cosart (0-0, -.--)


Unlike CC Sabathia the night before, Hiroki Kuroda gave the Yankees the kind of quality start they expected against Houston. But just like Scott Feldman the night before, the Astros' staff was even better. Astros knock off the Yankees 3-1, giving Houston their first 2-0 start to a season since 2003.


On the Mound:


*Jarred Cosart, keep this up. Coming off his rookie campaign with a glittering ERA but scary peripherals, Cosart began his sophomore season in fine form - five shutout innings, and he didn't walk a batter (!). Line: 5 IP / 4 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 0 BB / 3 K.

*Jerome Williams allowed a single and a walk with 2 K in a scoreless 6th.

*Kevin Chapman had a shaky two-thirds of an inning, surrendering a single, two walks, and a run.

*But Matt Albers rescued Chapman in the 7th and tacked on a scoreless 8th, allowing one hit while fanning four.

*Josh Fields got the first call of 2014 for a closer-by-committee save situation, and he made it look easy with a perfect 9th, including 1 K.


At the Plate:


*Who needs Coors Field? Dexter Fowler is on some kind of roll out of the gate. He homered on Kuroda's second pitch of the night, then added a triple two innings later, to finish 2x4 with 2 R and a K.

*Robbie Grossman drove in Fowler on a fielder's choice for his second run, then later added a triple of his own, finishing 1x3 with a BB and a K.

*Matt Dominguez shook off his Opening Day 0-fer, taking David Phelps deep on a solo shot to right in the 7th, ending up 1x3 with a K.

*That was it for Astros hits (all triples and homers!), but Jason Castro, Jose Altuve, and Jonathan Villar each added a walk. Villar also had a steal of second in the 8th.


Turning Point:


The Astros escaped Yankee threats in the 5th and 6th without damage, but Houston's 2-0 lead looked most tenuous in the 7th. Kevin Chapman began by allowing a walk and a single that put runners on the corners with no outs. The Astros traded two outs for a run, getting Yangervis Solarte to ground into a double play while Brett Gardner scored from third, but then Chapman walked Jacoby Ellsbury to put the tying run on base again. Bo Porter called in Matt Albers to face Derek Jeter next, but Albers got His Royal Jeterness to strike out, preserving the Astro lead.


Man of the Match:


Dexter Fowler (with Honorable Mention to Cosart). Making Jeff Luhnow look like a genius so far.


Goat of the Game:


The Astros are 2-0 for the first time in over a decade. Let's keep the "no goat" train rolling.