Perhaps more than any other team, the Yankees faced the most criticism this off season. On Monday, it was an opportunity to prove the critics wrong, if even a little bit, in a sample size of one game. Instead, it was the Red Sox, dealing with their own set of low expectations, who put on the show in an 8-2 Opening Day victory in the Bronx.
For the Yankees, the 2012 campaign ended in four hapless games offensively, capping an entire October filled with struggles from the starting lineup. It was more of the same when New York managed just six hits, with both runs coming from a single by Francisco Cervelli in the fourth inning.
Kevin Youkilis, the former Red Sox, was the only Yankee to record an extra base hit and the Yankees finished 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
The Yankees’ ace finished after yielding eight hits, four earned runs (all in that second inning) and four walks with five strikeouts. Usually topping out in the mid to high 90’s, CC threw between 87-91 with his fastball most of the day.
Lester wasn’t much better, surrendering five hits and two runs, walking two, striking out seven and throwing two wild pitches.
The Yankees had a chance until the top of the ninth when Joba Chamberlain gave up three more runs turning a 5-2 deficit into an 8-2 blowout. Boston had just two extra base hits but used 11 singles and eight walks (three by Jackie Bradley Jr. in his Major League debut) to fuel the offense.
The Yankees will look to recover on Tuesday when Hiroki Kuroda takes on Clay Buchholz. With a righty starter, New York should debut Travis Hafner and Lyle Overbay in the lineup. Both players played today but came off the bench.
