Kuroda goes eight shutout innings in Yankee Stadium opener

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I’ve probably never been happier over a Yankee win. Hiroki Kuroda pitched eight shutout innings, allowing five hits, two walks and striking out six before 49,386 at the Bronx Bombers’ home opener today, a 5-0 victory over the Angels.

Kuroda didn’t allow a hit after Peter Bourjos’ fifth-inning single until an infield single by Bobby Abreu in the ninth on the former Dodger’s 109th pitch, after which Kuroda left the game to a standing ovation. A highlight was a called strike three against Angel slugger Albert Pujols in the sixth.

I’ll always be a fan, Hiroki. Good for you.

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    A.J. Ellis has the power to turn Russell Martin (.440 OBP, .222 slugging) into A.J. Ellis. #ajellisfacts

  • http://twitter.com/Cadtalfryn Kyle MacGregor

    While I’d definitely like to see Baltimore or Toronto at the top of that division for a change, it’s great to see Hiro continuing to pitch well — especially if it’s at the expense of that team down in Orange County.

  • Anonymous

    Agreed. As soon as I saw that news I wanted to hop on every Yankee forum and tell ‘em how wrong they were about Kuroda. If I can recall the SI headline from a thousand years ago about Roger Staubach (bleh): “A Do Gooder Doing Good.”

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Dave-Pomerantz/3608376 Dave Pomerantz

    I’m gonna be pissed off every time Hiro pitches a game like this. He should still be in Dodger Blue, and the fact that Ned couldn’t make it happen sickens me.

  • Anonymous

    Wait, what?  How did Kuroda give up a single to Derek Jeter?  Did Jeter get traded mid-game?

    • Anonymous

      Looks like it was Bobby Abreu.  Jeter was involved in that he was the IFer who couldn’t nail Abreu at first.

      • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

         oops – sorry about that.

        • Anonymous

          Please feel free to delete my comments. 

  • Anonymous

    Good to see his home opener go well after his rocky first start in TB.

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    Since April 17, 2000, Dodgers have played 972 consecutive home games without a rainout. 

    • Anonymous

      have they declared a rain out yet?  or is it just very likely?  It’s hard to tell from 2500 miles away ;)

  • http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

    I watched this game today and was also happy for Hiro. But also happy for myself in that somebody in my fantasy league dropped him after his bad first start and I snatched him up. I knew Hiro was much better than that start, and my trust in him has payed off.

  • Anonymous

    here’s a nice piece on the effect of bunting on run expectancy:
    http://shutdowninning.com/5/post/2012/04/sacrificial-silliness.html#comments;

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    James McDonald broke up Matt Cain’s perfect game in the sixth inning with a single. http://bit.ly/HE5BoM

  • Anonymous

    I believe the last one-hitter where the only hit was from a pitcher was in 2010.
    http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN201008130.shtml 

    Cole Hamels got the only hit off of R.A. Dickey.

    • Anonymous

      Didn’t Fernando pitch a game where he got the only hit and it was a HR?

  • Anonymous

    I had completely forgotten that Juan Uribe broke up a potential Padres no-hitter last year (started by Aaron Harang with four relievers following) with two outs in the 9th.

    • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

       I was at that game – it was the day of the McCourt protest on Sunset and Elysian Park.

  • Anonymous

    Anybody else watching Shaikin’s twitter feed about the sale? 

    • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

       Off and on.  Mostly I’m waiting for the sum up at the end.

    • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

      updates here, for the curious:
      https://twitter.com/BillShaikin
      Lauria is MLB atty.
      4m Bill Shaikin ‏ @BillShaikin Lauria: “a number” of conditions are “inconsistent” w MLB rules, we need to review.
      3m Bill Shaikin ‏ @BillShaikin “We have issues not only w the purchase agreement. We have issues with the” Dodger Stadium land use document.
      3m Bill Shaikin ‏ @BillShaikin Lauria: “We have issues with control provisions” regarding parking lots and surrounding land.
      2m Bill Shaikin ‏ @BillShaikin OpenLauria: We have issues w debt, financing, possible media deal.Lauria: We hope sale documents reflect agreement as approved by MLB owners in March, says “significant deviations” since.

      {not sounding wonderful but nothing too surprising, seems like these things are par for the course and shouldn’t panic…}

      • Anonymous

        This is sounding pretty hardcore. MLB is striking back against both McCourt and the Guggies. 

      • Anonymous

        Don’t forget:
        Lauria: Guggenheim atty Dan Webb sent letter saying “the big guns were coming out and if we didn’t get in tow we would have big litigation”

        • Anonymous

          That is an amazing statement.

  • Anonymous

    Both Jerry Hairston and Jerry Hairston Jr. have broken up no-hitters with two outs in the 9th inning.

  • Anonymous

    Is MLB going to kill this ownership group? Anyone? Anyone?

    • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

      No, I don’t see why anyone’s going to kill it.

      • Anonymous

        Via the twitter: Lauria: You can’t announce or execute a purchase agreement w/o MLB approval.

  • Anonymous

    Well, the Dodgers finally have someone exciting to watch play ball (Dee Gordon) and Mattingly gives him a rest.  What a genius.

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

     NPUT

  • Anonymous

    Hiroki
    pitching for the Yankees.  8 shutout innings.  Hiroki?!  Our
    Hiroki?!   Dodger fans love Kuroda.  He took a bullet in
    the head (see video of HK being hit in the head by a line drive), and came to
    pitch tough.  I’m with Jon.  Any night he is pitching for the Yankees, I am
    rooting for the Yankees which I never do.