Japan Gives Yankees Series Finale Victory

The two players who drove the Yankees to their series finale win versus the Red Sox both came from Japan and have found great careers for themselves in the States. The first of the two players, without whom the Yankees would not be in the position they are in right now, was Hiroki Kuroda. The Japanese right-hander tossed eight fantastic innings of one-run baseball tonight. He allowed only four hits and the only run Kuroda gave up was on a home run to Adrian Gonzalez. Other than that, Kuroda kept the Red Sox hitters on their toes and baffled most of them. He whiffed four batters in his start but induced twelve ground ball outs, which is what Kuroda should be doing with his sinker/slider combination. Hiroki Kuroda has been as valuable to the Yankees this year as any starter they've had in the past three seasons and he will most certainly start a game two of a playoff series behind CC Sabathia.

The second of the two Japanese born players, Ichiro Suzuki, hit two bombs to the right field seats. Both of his home runs came against Red Sox starter Josh Beckett who went six innings and allowed four earned runs. Ichiro accounted for half of the Yankee scoring and his two home runs was the seventh time in his illustrious Major League career that the outfielder had a multi-homer game. Ichiro has found his fountain of youth after coming to the Yankees. He has hit safely in twenty-one of his twenty-three games as a Yankee and is hitting over .300. He has been a great find for the Yankees who gave up essentially nothing to obtain Ichiro. It will be fun to watch what Ichiro has in store for Yankee fans should the Yankees make the playoffs.

After taking two out of three from the Red Sox, the Yankees will travel to Chicago to face Adam Dunn and the White Sox, who sit in first place in the AL Central. They have been a surprise to baseball this season as Robin Ventura has done a great job managing the White Sox. Freddy Garcia will make the start for the Yankees and Gavin Floyd will start for the White Sox, looking to bounce back from a poor performance against the Yankees earlier in the season.