| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||
 | NY Yankees | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Kansas City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LP: H. Ramirez (0-1)
CC Sabathia made his opening day start a distant memory last night with a dominant performance in the Yankees 6-1 win over the Kansas City Royals. Sabathia only needed one batter, Coco Crisp, to record his first strikeout of the season and ended with six K's in 7.2 innings. He scattered six hits, walked no one (He did hit Alex Gordon) and was totally in control throughout as the Yankees won their third straight.
For the second straight game, Jorge Posada came up with the big hit to get the Yankees going early on. Johnny Damon, who was not in the original lineup, but was added when Mark Teixeira complained of a sore wrist, singled with one out in the first. Nick Swisher followed with a walk, and after Royals starter Horacio Ramirez retired Hideki Matsui on a soft liner to center, Posada doubled to right to score both base runners.
The Yankees added to their lead in the third when Derek Jeter led off with a single and promptly stole second base. One batter later, the red hot Swisher tripled past an ill advised dive attempt by Willie Bloomquist in right field. With the infield in, Ramirez got Matsui to ground out to second, but Posada lined a shot up the gap in left-center for an RBI double and a 4-0 Yankees lead.
Sabathia made the lead stand up. He gave up back to back singles to Alberto Callaspo and David DeJesus to start the fourth, but struck out Billy Butler looking and induced an inning ending double play grounder from Alex Gordon.
Swisher followed Damon's one-out walk in the fifth, with his first home run of the year, giving him 3 RBI for the game. Down 6-0 in the home half of the fifth the Royals put two aboard on a Mike Aviles single and an error by Cody Ransom that allowed Miguel Olivo to reach. But Sabathia picked up his teammate, retiring Bloomquist and Crisp to end the threat.
The Royals finally pushed a run across in the ninth against Jose Veras, but the game was already well in hand.
Box Score
Game Notes
Swisher's 9 RBI in his first three starts makes him the first major leaguer to accomplish that feat since Calvin Pickering (KC - 2004).
Robinson Cano's 15-game hitting streak, and his 4-game multi-hit game to start the season, came to an end with an 0-4 night.
Posada's three RBI gave him six in four games.
Ramiro Pena replaced Derek Jeter as a late inning defensive replacement. No matter how Michael Kay or others may try to spin it, that's exactly what it is. Jeter also came out of the 11-2 win over Baltimore. Taking an inning or two off is not going to preserve your body for the season.
Melky Cabrera replaced Xavier Nady for defense as well, but did not get an at-bat.
The number eight and nine hitters in the Yankees order, Cody Ransom and Brett Gardner, are a combined 5-35 (.143) with Gardner having four of the five hits.
The series concludes this afternoon at 2 pm EDT. Joba Chamberlain makes his season debut against Royals ace Gil Meche.
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