Tanaka is Only Bright Spot for Yanks

Tanaka is Only Bright Spot for Yanks

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 6- The Yankees ended their most recent homestand on Thursday afternoon with a 2-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics. The Yankees have achieved a victory in 10 of the 12 games Masahiro Tanaka has started. The win ended a four-game losing streak for the club.

Tanaka is continuing in the month of June what he accomplished during May. Tanaka excelled during his six starts in May. He compiled a record of 5-1 with a miniscule ERA of 1.88. The 25 year-old kept his pinpoint control throughout the previous month by averaging one walk per appearance yet fanning one per inning. His achievements on the mound earned him the award as Pitcher of the Month in the American League. He is the first Yankee rookie hurler to achieve that distinction.

With one out in the first inning on Thursday, Oakland’s catcher John Jaso took the first pitch from Tanaka into the rightfield stands. The home run was the first yielded by the right-hander in more than one month (May 3).

The four bagger did not disturb the Japanese native as he retired the next 10 batters he faced.

With two out in the fourth, he gave up successive singles, but retired the last batter with a strikeout. The first Oakland batter in the next frame singled. With two out, Tanaka walked his only batter of the game. The inning ended with a pop out. In the sixth, Tanaka’s final inning, one batter singled but never reached second.

Tanaka was removed after six. Yankee manager Joe Girardi explained the reasoning, “I think he threw 50 pitches in the last two innings. We felt fatigue had set in and it was time to take him out.”

Although it was his shortest performance in number of innings, Girardi expressed great admiration for how well he pitched, “He never let up and got the big outs he needed. It was a gritty performance on his part. [it was] maybe his biggest performance for us.”

Although Girardi did not want to call Tanaka the ace of the staff, he did so in other words, “He stepped up and kind of assumed that role. He’s going to give you distance, shut down the other team and give you a chance to win.”

Catcher Brian McCann took no credit for the starter’s excellence, “Stuffwise it was all there. He pitched great.”

An example of how Tanaka impressed the opposing batters follows. Rightfielder Stephen Voigt commented, “He stays on the corners. He keeps us off balance. His stuff is so good. “ [Despite Tanaka’s talent] I thought we had good at bats all day.”

Tanka admitted the team he faced for the first time was very difficult, “It was a tough game. They [Athletics] were resilient. They don’t give in.”

The rookie pitcher remained with Steve Rogers of the Montreal Expos as the only two pitchers in more than a century to pitch at least six innings and give up three or fewer runs in their first 12 major league starts.

All Yankees fans eagerly await Tanaka’s next start.

#Tanaka Remains Unbeaten

#Tanaka Remains Unbeaten

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 4- On Saturday afternoon, the Yankees ended a three-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Rays. The outcome also terminated the three-game winning streak for the Rays.

Masahiro Tanaka, the starting pitcher for the Yanks, remained undefeated after his sixth start in the majors. His credit for the win raised his win/loss mark to 4-0 this season. During his stint on Saturday, the 25 year-old yielded eight hits and three runs. He did not issue a walk for the third of his six starting assignments. 

The five batters he fanned raised his total of strikeouts this season to 51, the fifth highest in the major leagues since 1900, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The win credited to Tanaka extends his two continent (Japan and North America) win streak to 32 regular season decisions. The last contest he lost occurred on August 9, 2012, when he pitched for the Rakuten Golden Eagles. 

On Saturday afternoon, Tanaka was not blessed with his best stuff. Both he and Yankee skipper Joe Girardi discussed the problem. Girardi commented, “I didn’t think his command with his fastball was too good at first [and] that got him into trouble.”

The young hurler admitted he had problems, “All my pitches weren’t there today. They weren’t crisp.”

As has happened on several occasions this year, Tanaka was touched for runs early in the game. Desmond Phillips, the second batter he faced, homered to right to put Tampa on the board in the first.

Three base hits led to a second Tampa run in the second.

The third and final run for the Rays was scored on a lead-off home run by Will Myers in the fourth. Myers loves the new Yankee Stadium as he has hit successfully in all 12 games he has played in the Bronx ballpark. He thus raised the mark for consecutive games hitting safely at the start of a career in either Yankee Stadium.

After the home run, Tanaka only surrendered two singles in his final four innings on the mound. This was noted by those most involved in the accomplishment. 

Yankee catcher Brian McCann remarked, “After the third inning, he settled down. It’s hard to believe he’s 25; he has such poise on the mound.”

His manager added to the words of praise, “He’s good at making adjustments. [With Tanaka], you’re going to get a guy who competes, who gives you distance and who keeps you in the game.”

Tanaka responded to questions about his early game difficulties, “I really don’t know why the slow starts. I wish I could be better. I’m glad I was able to battle my way back through the game.”

Interesting batting stats-Mark Teixeira’s first pitch home run in the fourth was his fourth in the last five games and his fifth in his last eight. The three hits by James Loney, first sacker for the Rays, upped his average in 23 games against the Yanks since signing with Rays before last season to .410. Ichiro Suzuki has hit safely in 9 of his 11 starts. His two doubles on Saturday moved his batting average to a team high .375. Three hits by Jacoby Ellsbury gave him a batting average of .346.

Starting the final game of the three game series on Sunday afternoon will be CC Sabathia for the Yanks and Erik Bedard for the Rays.