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Closer Look at Hiroki Kuroda's Performance in Yankees' Shutout of Rangers
By Ray Monell2012/8/15
New York Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda (W, 11-8) ran roughshod over the Texas Rangers Tuesday night, throwing a two-hit, 3-0 shutout before 44,533 at Yankee Stadium to clinch the three-game series for his club.
His no-hit bid was broken up by Elvis Andrus' infield leadoff single in the seventh, but Nick Swisher's two-run home run off reliever Alexi Ogando in the bottom of the inning broke a scoreless tie. Mark Teixeira went back-to-back with Swisher, going yard off Ogando to give New York a three-run lead, and Kuroda--who threw 109 pitches (74 strikes)--went on to toss his second complete-game shutout
of 2012.
The shutout gives New York eight such victories this season, equaling the team's total in 2011.
Now, was Kuroda as dominant Tuesday as he's felt on the mound all year?
"I'm never that confident," he told Yahoo! Contributor Network through his interpreter. "I wasn't really confident today, but I pitched well. So I hope that this carries to the next game."
Considering how potent Texas' offense is, I must say that Kuroda--who had five strikeouts against two walks--hasn't looked better as a Yankee. Here's the breakdown of his performance:
Tuesday night marked the sixth time this year that Kuroda has thrown at least seven scoreless innings (most in MLB) ... the right-hander's fourth career complete-game (all shutouts), and first shutout since his rain-shortened, seven-inning effort vs. the Toronto Blue Jays on July 18 ... first nine-inning shutout of two hits or fewer by a Yankee since Chien-Ming Wang's game against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 28, 2006 ... first time a Yankee has thrown a complete-game shutout vs. the Rangers since David Wells did so on Aug. 21, 1998, in Texas ... first time a Yankees starter has thrown two complete-game shutouts in a single season since Mike Mussina in 2005 (May 7 vs. Oakland Athletics; June 14 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates) ... and the Yankees' first shutout of Texas since Aug. 7, 2008, at the old Yankee Stadium.
Kuroda is 5-1 with a 3.03 ERA over nine starts, since June 8, against teams with a .500 or better record at the time he faced them, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The first-year Yankee allowed just four balls out of the infield Tuesday, and only one baserunner (Andrus) beyond first base.The Rangers' two hits matches the lowest amount they've gotten against the Yankees since losing to them 10-1 at Rangers Ballpark on May 1, 2007. Texas' hit total also matches a season-low for the Yankees, who held the New York Mets to two hits on June 8 in a 9-1 rout.
Kuroda now has 52 wins, the second-most all-time among Japanese-born MLB pitchers. He entered Tuesday tied with Tomo Ohka (51) for second. Right-hander Hideo Nomo ranks No. 1 on said list by a vast margin, having recorded 123 victories before retiring in 2008.
Decision note: While Alexi Ogando gave up the home runs to Swisher and Teixeira, Matt Harrison (L, 13-7) (6.1 IP, 5H, 1R) was the losing pitcher. Harrison was responsible for Derek Jeter, who singled before Ogando came in and was taken deep by Swisher.
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