Hiroki Kuroda pitched eight-plus shutout innings, Nick Swisher drove in three runs and Alex Rodriguez homered to tie Ken Griffey Jr. for fifth on the all-time home run list as the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Friday in New York's home opener, 5-0.
Kuroda, acquired as a free agent in the offseason, had admitted to being worried about his first-ever start in Yankee Stadium. He needn't have fretted over it. He allowed only five hits in his eight-plus innings.
Swisher gave Kuroda and the Yankees (4-3) all the runs they would need with a bases-loaded double in the first inning, staking the Yankees to a 3-0 lead. Rodriguez hit the 630th home run of his career, tying Griffey Jr., in the third inning. The blast went into Monument Park and came off Ervin Santana. Rodriguez, moved to third in the lineup from his customary fourth spot, had three hits in the game.
Curtis Granderson also homered for the Yankees.
The teams play again Saturday (1:05 p.m. ET) with Phil Hughes (0-1) pitching against C.J. Wilson (1-0).
Current Series
Yankees lead the series 1-0
| Fri 04/13 |
WP: Hiroki Kuroda (1 - 1) LP: Ervin Santana (0 - 2) |
5 - 0 win |
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Los Angeles Angels Saturday, Apr 14, 2012, 1:05 PM EDT C.J. Wilson vs Phil Hughes
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| Sun 04/15 | 8:05 PM EDT | |
