Kuroda BRILLIANT in Complete Game Win

Kuroda tosses nine innings of two-hit baseball

The story of the night was Hiroki Kuroda. The right-hander fired nine shut out innings against a potent Rangers lineup that features the likes of Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre, and Michael Young. Kuroda had all Yankee fans on the edge of their seats until the seventh inning when he had a no-hitter going against the Rangers. Hiroki's no-hit bid ended in the seventh when Elvis Andus led off the inning with an infield single to shortstop. After that hit, Kuroda allowed one more hit against Michael Young in the eighth and nothing more. He went the distance and finished with two hits allowed and struck out five batters in the most brilliant game pitched by a Yankee all year. He has been a godsend for the Yankees this year. After a rough start in April, Kuroda has been the Yankees best starting pitcher, even better than CC Sabathia. If the Yankees re-sign Kuroda next year, a full year of being acclimated to the Bronx will make him even better, if that's even possible. This is the second night in a row that the Yankees bullpen has taken a rest and they have Kuroda to thank for it.

The hitting for the Yankees was not there until the seventh inning when Jeter singled against starter Matt Harrison to kick him from the game. Ogando entered and battled Nick Swisher which ended with Swisher taking him out to right-center field for a two-run blast. Teixeira followed with a solo shot to the short porch. Other than those hits, the Yankees offense did nothing. Tonight, it was enough as Kuroda ended up needing only one run. He was the story of the night by and far. My faith in Kuroda has surpassed my faith in Sabathia. Kuroda has shown he has ace stuff and can be counted on to start game three of a playoff series assuming Andy Pettitte is back for the postseason.

After tonight's game, the Yankees are twenty-two games over .500 and have a a two game winning streak against the team with the second best record in the American League. The best record? That would be the Bronx Bombers. Tomorrow, Freddy Garcia will get the ball for the Yankees with a well-rested bullpen. He will face Scott Feldman, who knocked Roy Oswalt out of the starting rotation.