Yanks keep rolling, May Tex emerges

The Yanks moved to 16-8 on the year and 7-1 in series following a 12-3 drubbing of the ChiSox in the rubber match of a three-game set on Sunday. Phil Hughes (3-0) tossed another gem (7 IP, 4H, 0R, 6SO, 1BB) and has now allowed an average of just two hits over his first three starts, but Melancon had a less-than-stellar season debut to squander the goose egg over the final two frames. But, hey, a win is a win.

Hughes:

"I felt especially comfortable throwing all my pitches. I threw cutters when I needed to, I threw some decent curveballs, not a ton of them…then I threw a couple good changeups to some lefties.There was a couple of struggles early on, but I was able to get through those without any damage being done. Then it just seemed I was able to roll on."

One big surprise was that Ramiro Pena started at third with A-Rod getting a day off. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but reports surfaced that Big Al was nursing a leg injury (which is why he was pinch-run for during the ninth inning of Saturday’s game). However, Girardi diffused any situations in the postgame by saying that the former goat was just a “little bit stiff.” Girardi insisted that A-Rod wasn’t injured and will start Monday against the O’s. He said that giving him off during a day game preceding a night game is like two days off. Whatever, I’d rather have this happen in early May rather than in late September or October.

Girardi:

"He’s (A-Rod) not injured, he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow. He’s a little bit stiff, but that’s going to happen to all of our guys. If you play every inning of every game you’re going to feel something, but that doesn’t mean he’s injured."

Nearly all of the starters were hitting, but the big news was Tex’ emergence from his April slump. In two May games Tex is 6-for-9 with 3 RBI, 2R and 7TB, compared to 11-for-81 with 9 RBI, 11R and 21TB in 22 April games. I know it’s a small sample size, but can one month really make that much of a difference? Tex is notorious for having terrible Aprils…so what could be leading to this seemingly annual slump? How can such a great hitter go from not being able to hit a beachball with a tennis racket to crushing anything that comes his way?

May Tex:

"I like that start to May. The biggest thing to me is just helping the team win. Whether that’s grinding through a few at-bats and getting walks, or getting some big hits and driving in runs, I just want to help the team win."

Tex wasn’t the only one hitting: Swish Dog went 3-for-4 with a two-run dingy and Gardner — BRETT GARDNER — went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and scored twice. Not to mention the red-hot Robbie Cano, who went 2-for-4 with a two-run jack and a double.

Gardner:

"I was just trying to get a pitch to hit and…that’s my one for the year — I’m done. I think I got to 3-2 and figured I’d get a fastball, and I put a good swing on it."

Swish Dog:

"That’s the one thing, we had a good approach against him (Buehrle) today. We know that he works quick, we know that he’s going to be in the zone and we told ourselves to try to get him up in the zone."

Next victim: the Baltimore Orioles, who are coming off a three-game sweep of the Red Sox, ride into town for a three-game set. CC will be going against Jeremy Guthrie, who already has a target on his back after knocking Georgie out of the lineup for a couple of games. LET’S GO YANKS!!!