Mussina Regains Form as Yankees Blank Royals
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Mike Mussina pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and struck out a season-high 11, leading the Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 4-0 last night.
Jason Giambi went 0-for-3 with a walk and a long drive to the right field warning track in his first start for the Yankees since July 23.
Recovering from a benign tumor, intestinal parasite, strained groin, and respiratory infection, the 2000 AL MVP is hitless in his last 24 major league at-bats. With the season over
Derek Jeter hit a two-run single, helping the Yankees bounce back from a 17-8 drubbing Monday night. The Yankees, who led the AL East by 10 1 /2 games in mid-August, boosted the margin over second-place Boston to four games, their biggest advantage since they were up by 4 1 /2 games before play on August 31.
Boston comes to New York for a three game series starting Friday.
Mussina (11-9), who snapped a career-worst five-game losing skid in his previous start, gave up just three singles. He dominated a team that roughed up seven New York pitchers for 18 hits the night before. It was the 38th time he struck out at least 10, and he improved his career record against Kansas City to 15-6. In 12 starts in Kauffman Stadium, the 13-year veteran is 8-1.
Tom Gordon stuck out two in a perfect ninth, finishing New York’s fourth shutout of the season.
Royals rookie Zack Greinke (8-10) went six innings, giving up just three hits and two runs on Jeter’s bases loaded single in the fifth.
Jeter, who has hit safely and scored in 10 straight games, reached on a fielder’s choice in the eighth and came around on Alex Rodriguez’s double off Dennys Reyes. Gary Sheffield’s RBI single scored Rodriguez to make it 4-0.
Greinke, varying speeds on his usual assortment of fastballs, breaking balls and slow curves, retired his first 10 batters until Rodriguez grounded a single up the middle with one out in the fourth.
The right-hander, known for his smug arrogance, got a talking-to from Doug Eddings when he attempted to show up the plate umpire in the fifth.
Greinke threw Bernie Williams an inside pitch on 3-2 and then started walking toward the dugout after Eddings called ball four. The veteran umpire pulled off his mask and went straight to the mound for a few words with the rookie.
John Olerud then singled and Miguel Cairo walked, loading the bases with two outs for Jeter. Cairo was out on a close play at home trying to score from first.
Bernie Williams, a day after his 36th birthday, played his 1,790th game and moved past Bill Dickey for sixth place on the Yankees’ career list.