CC and Pedro Ace Tests, Phillies Bullpen and Utley Fail to Protect Lead

CC Sabathia was every bit the ace the Yankees thought they had acquired this offseason. Pedro Martinez may have been better for the Phillies. But only one of the teams that got a scoreless start from an ace won on Friday, and, just a hint, it wasn’t the team that trotted out J.A. Happ from the bullpen.Sabathia fired eight innings of four-hit ball in a chilly 4-1 win at Yankee Stadium, flummoxing the Angels, owners of the majors’ best team batting average. And what he couldn’t do, the rest of the Yankees did, building an early lead, playing solid defense all night (especially compared to the Halos’ three-error outing) and, in Mariano Rivera’s case, allowing just one baserunner in the ninth to slam the door. The Bombers continue winning with great pitching and just enough hitting, and have a chance to lead 2-0 with a win in today’s Game 2.

Pedro probably would have appreciated the sort of support Sabathia got. He was magnificent, allowing two hits and no walks in seven scoreless innings. But when he was lifted, the door was open just a crack, thanks to an anemic offensive performance that consisted of a homer by Ryan Howard, three scattered hits, and one walk drawn by Carlos Ruiz. Chan Ho Park, Scott Eyre, Ryan Madson and Happ proceeded to let the Dodgers march through that door, combining for two runs, three hits and two walks in the process of getting two outs in the eighth.

Though a Chase Utley throwing error let the Dodgers tie the game, it was Happ’s bases-loaded walk that would give L.A. its winning 2-1 margin, and the City of Brotherly Love may not warmly welcome back its Rookie of the Year candidate when the series shifts to Philly for Game 3 on Monday.

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