The Detroit Tigers and Prince Fielder certainly found their power stroke today after getting off to a sluggish start in Minnesota earlier this week. Ivan Nova struggled from the start, with most of the counts going 3-2 and ending in either a walk or a base hit. Nova left after 4 2/3 innings after plunking Miguel Cabrera and it didn't take long for Boone Logan to serve up a three run bomb to Fielder. Ivan Nova had to get off to a better start in 2013 in order for the questions regarding his ineffectiveness in 2012 to subside. He did nothing to help his cause, and posted more question marks for Joe Girardi and the Yankees than they were already facing. Nova has the potential to be a lights out pitcher, proving that in 2011 when he won sixteen games for the Yankees.
The bullpen wasn't much better with Boone Logan giving up a bomb to Fieder followed by Shawn Kelley serving up two more Tiger home runs, one of which was hit by Prince Fielder for his second home run of the game.
With the Yankees' offense the way it has been, every lead is important. The Yankees squandered a lead after scoring three runs in the fifth inning on a wild pitch followed by a two-run blast by Kevin Youkilis. Other than in the fifth inning the Yankees offense never posed as a legitimate threat to the Tigers pitching. Drew Smyly earned the save by pitching four strong innings. A startling development occurred during the game when Nunez was hit by a pitch in the arm, which looked like a DL stint waiting to happen as Nunez hobbled off the field. The diagnosis returned as a bruised right bicep and X=rays coming back negative, making Eduardo Nunez day-to-day.
The Yankees will try to come back tomorrow with a win, sending David Phelps to the mound to face this lethal Detroit lineup. The Yankees need to show up in tomorrow's game in all areas. The bats need to wake up and Phelps need to give the Yankees distance.
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