AJ Burnett/Josh Beckett Provides Best Pitching Matchup of The Weekend
August 6, 2009 · Jordan Schwartz · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
After a brutal four-hour opener that included an astounding 18 walks between the two teams, fans should be treated to a much better pitching matchup in Game 2 of this weekend’s Red Sox/Yankees series.
Former Florida Marlins teammates A.J. Burnett (10-5, 3.89) and Josh Beckett (13-4, 3.27) take the hill for their respective clubs Friday night as New York attempts to capture the first two in this four-game set.
Beckett is 9-4 in 15 career starts against the Bombers but that record is more thanks to run support rather than good pitching. The right-hander has racked up a 5.42 ERA against New York.
This will be Beckett’s fourth start this season versus the Pinstripes. He was lit up for eight runs in five innings back on April 25, earned a victory with a mediocre 10-hit, three-run, six-inning effort on May 5 and then pitched a one-hit shutout through six on June 9 for the win.
Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano each had a couple of hits on Thursday night and they should keep that going on Friday. The center fielder is 12 for 35 (.343) with three doubles against Beckett, while his pal is 13 for 28 (.342) with four doubles and two homers.
Mark Teixeira, meanwhile, is just 2 for 13 (.154) with six strikeouts against the 29-year-old.
Burnett is coming off a rough outing against the White Sox on Saturday, when he surrendered seven runs on 10 hits over just 4.2 innings. That broke a string of eight straight quality starts by the right-hander.
That streak started right after he allowed five runs (three earned) in only 2.2 innings at Boston on June 9. Burnett was even worse on April 25 when the Red Sox touched him up for eight runs on eight hits and three walks over five.
The Yankees got the 32-year-old partly because of his history of dominating Boston (he’s still 5-1 with a 3.80 ERA in 10 career starts against them), and so he needs to step up and finally put together a good game against New York’s biggest rival.
Follow me on Twitter at JordanHarrison.
Jordan can be reached at jordanschwartz2003@yahoo.
Yankee Tickets
Shop Yankee
