CC Sabathia finally pitched like the ace the Yankees were expecting to get when they signed him to a seven-year deal worth $161 million in December. But it wasn't enough to earn the suddenly punchless Yankees a victory.
Sabathia allowed just six hits and struck out seven while walking none over eight tidy innings, but the Tigers scored once in the first and three times in the sixth in beating the Yankees, 4-2, in the series opener in Detroit. The Yankees can take some solace in Sabathia's performance and hope that he is about to get untracked, much as he did after a slow start last April. Sabathia entered Monday 1-1 with a 4.81 ERA, 14 walks and 12 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings over four starts, during which he had more strikeouts than walks just once and pitched at least seven innings only once. Last year with the Indians, Sabathia was 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA, 14 walks and 14 strikeouts in 18 innings in his first four starts, during which he had more strikeouts than walks twice and failed to last six innings even once.
But Sabathia began to turn his season around in dramatic fashion in his fifth start, when he allowed four hits over six shutout innings and struck out 11 while walking just two in beating the Royals. Sabathia spent the rest of the year displaying equal parts command and dominance as well as his trademark durability. He walked two batters or fewer in 28 of his final 31 starts, struck out at least six batters in 20 of those outings and lasted at least seven innings 24 times.
As evidenced by a four-game losing streak in which their pitching staff has been tattooed and their vaunted offense shut down as often as it has broken out, the Yankees have plenty of problems. But if Monday is any indication, perhaps Sabathia is one less player the Yankees have to worry about.
TIGERS 4, YANKEES 2: CC Sabathia was credited with a complete game after allowing just six hits and no walks while striking out seven over eight innings, but the Yankees didn't score until the ninth as they dropped their fourth in a row.
The Tigers scored once in the third and three times in the sixth against Sabathia. The Yankees -- who have scored three runs in their last two games after putting 11 runs on the board Saturday against the Red Sox -- failed to get a runner beyond second against Justin Verlander and a pair of relievers until the ninth inning. Nick Swisher had an RBI single to end the shutout in the ninth and scored on Jorge Posada's double-play grounder. Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 14 games while Ramiro Pena also went 2-for-4.
