Kennedy's Star Crashes

Ian Kennedy didn't get the press that the other members of the Big 3- Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain- received last season, but his ascension to the majors was just as meteoric. Last night, the man know as Ike to his teammates, came crashing back to earth.

Saddled with control problems and a possibly tight strike zone, Kennedy couldn't make it out of the 3rd inning. The Yankees made a brief game out of it, but the Rays came away with a decisive 13-4 win.

Kennedy had beaten the Rays in his major league debut last September 1st, but he walked 4 batters and threw 70 pitches in just 2.1 innings. Already trailing 1-0, Kennedy allowed a lead off single to Aki Iwamura, who then moved to 3rd on a ground out and a wild pitch. After a walk to Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton singled off Alex Rodriguez's glove for a 2-0 lead. A walk to Cliff Floyd loaded the bases for Shawn Riggins, who was forced into the game when starting catcher Dionner Navarro cut his hand (he was later placed on the 15-day DL). Riggins blasted a shot over the head of Johnny Damon in center field for a bases clearing double that also ended Kennedy's night.

One more run was tacked on to Kennedy's pitching line when Jon Albaladejo gave up an RBI double to Eric Hinske.

The Yankees rallied against Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine in the 3rd. Hideki Matsui lead off the inning with his 1st home run of the season. Jose Molina followed with a double and scored one batter later when Derek Jeter tripled to center. Jeter would come home on Bobby Abreu's ground out, and the Yankees would add one more run on a single by A-Rod and a double by Jason Giambi.

Excellent relief by Albaladejo, Ross Ohlendorf, and Billy Traber kept the Yankees in the game, but the Rays blew the game open against LaTroy Hawkins in the 8th. Perhaps Paul O'Neill put a jinx on his number 21, which Hawkins became the first player to wear during the regular season since O'Neill retired.

The Rays scored 3 times including a solo home run by Cliff Floyd. Then Kyle Farnsworth came on to do what he does best- throw some grease on the fire. Pena took him deep for a 3-run HR and the end of a night not to remember.

News and Notes

Joe Girardi watched the game from the relative comfort of his office. Saddled with a respiratory infection and a fever, Girardi turned the managerial duties over to bench coach Rob Thomson.

Wilson Betemit was in the original lineup, but was removed when Jorge Posada had to be moved from catcher to DH due to his sore shoulder.

Shelley Duncan waived his 3 game suspension appeal and had reduced to 2 games, as did Melky Cabrera. Cabrera sat out last night and will miss today's game. Duncan will sit out Sunday and Monday. Jonny Gomes had his suspension reduced to 1 game and sat for last night's game.

Former Yankees traveling secretary Dave Szen avoided prison for tax evasion for income he earned in the 1990s.

Tampa Bay	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Iwamura, 2B	4	2	3	0	1	0	0	.308
Crawford, LF	5	2	1	1	0	1	4	.286
Pena, 1B	4	2	1	3	1	2	2	.250
Upton, CF	4	1	2	1	1	1	0	.364
Floyd, DH	4	2	2	2	1	1	1	.364
Navarro, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.333
a-Riggans, PH-C	4	1	2	3	0	0	0	.500
Hinske, 3B	5	1	2	1	0	1	1	.375
Haynes, RF	5	1	1	0	0	2	2	.222
Bartlett, SS	5	1	1	2	0	3	2	.167
Totals	41	13	15	13	4	11	14
a-Doubled for Navarro in the 3rd.
BATTING 2B: Riggans (1, Kennedy), Hinske 2 (2, Albaladejo, Hawkins). HR: Floyd (2, 8th inning off Hawkins, 0 on, 1 out), Pena (2, 8th inning off Farnsworth, 2 on, 2 out). TB: Iwamura 3; Crawford; Pena 4; Upton 2; Floyd 5; Riggans 3; Hinske 4; Haynes; Bartlett. RBI: Floyd 2 (5), Upton (3), Riggans 3 (3), Hinske (2), Bartlett 2 (3), Crawford (2), Pena 3 (5). 2-out RBI: Floyd; Bartlett 2; Crawford; Pena 3. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Navarro; Bartlett. GIDP: Crawford. Team LOB: 5. BASERUNNING SB: Haynes (2, 2nd base off Hawkins/Molina), Crawford (3, 2nd base off Kennedy/Molina). CS: Iwamura (1, 2nd base by Albaladejo/Molina).

Tampa Bay	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sonnanstine (W, 1-0)	6.0	6	4	4	0	4	1	6.00
Wheeler (H, 2)	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Miller	1.0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0.00
Dohmann	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, CF	3	0	0	0	1	1	1	.143
Jeter, SS	4	1	1	1	0	0	1	.286
Abreu, RF	3	0	1	1	0	1	0	.462
a-Duncan, PH-RF	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Rodriguez, 3B	3	1	1	0	0	0	1	.286
b-Betemit, PH-3B	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Giambi, 1B	3	0	1	1	0	0	0	.091
Ensberg, 1B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Cano, 2B	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	.067
Posada, DH	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.000
Matsui, LF	3	1	1	1	0	1	0	.250
Molina, C	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	.333
Totals	33	4	6	4	1	5	6
a-Grounded out for Abreu in the 8th. b-Popped out for Rodriguez in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Abreu (1, Sonnanstine), Molina (1, Sonnanstine), Giambi (1, Sonnanstine). 3B: Jeter (1, Sonnanstine). HR: Matsui (1, 3rd inning off Sonnanstine, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter 3; Abreu 2; Rodriguez; Giambi 2; Matsui 4; Molina 2. RBI: Matsui (2), Jeter (1), Abreu (2), Giambi (2). 2-out RBI: Giambi. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez; Cano; Betemit. Team LOB: 3. FIELDING E: Jeter (1, fielding). DP: 2 (Molina-Jeter, Cano-Jeter-Giambi).

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Kennedy (L, 0-1)	2.1	4	6	6	4	2	0	23.14
Albaladejo	2.2	1	0	0	0	4	0	0.00
Ohlendorf	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Traber	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Hawkins	0.2	6	6	6	0	0	1	31.50
Farnsworth	1.1	3	1	1	0	3	1	3.86

WP: Kennedy.
Pitches-strikes: Sonnanstine 84-60, Wheeler 4-4, Miller 15-9, Dohmann 11-8, Kennedy 70-32, Albaladejo 36-23, Ohlendorf 9-7, Traber 13-8, Hawkins 24-16, Farnsworth 25-18.
Ground outs-fly outs: Sonnanstine 8-6, Wheeler 1-2, Miller 1-2, Dohmann 2-0, Kennedy 4-1, Albaladejo 2-1, Ohlendorf 1-1, Traber 2-0, Hawkins 2-0, Farnsworth 0-1.
Batters faced: Sonnanstine 24, Wheeler 3, Miller 4, Dohmann 3, Kennedy 15, Albaladejo 9, Ohlendorf 3, Traber 3, Hawkins 8, Farnsworth 7.
Inherited runners-scored: Albaladejo 1-1, Farnsworth 2-2.
Umpires: HP: Doug Eddings. 1B: Dana DeMuth. 2B: Ted Barrett. 3B: James Hoye.
Weather: 50 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 2 mph, Out to RF.
T: 3:07.
Att: 49,255.