Hughes on a roll

By Jack O’Connell

Phil Hughes continues to allay fears that he might go down the same path Joba Chamberlain did trying to become an effective starting pitcher after having success as a reliever. Hughes found a niche last year in the setup role out of the bullpen as the eighth-inning bridge to Mariano Rivera. So far this year, Hughes has been a pitcher for all innings.

There were seven more quality frames Friday night for Hughes in the Yankees’ 10–3 victory over the Red Sox. It was a strong test for Hughes, who had never before beaten the Red Sox or won at Fenway Park. His career mark against the Red Sox had been 0–2 with a 7.62 ERA and at Fenway was 0–1 with a 10.29 ERA. Hughes was not the pitcher the Red Sox recalled but one who showed far more command that his Boston counterpart, Josh Beckett.

In improving his record to 4–0 with a staff-best 1.69 ERA, Hughes tamed the Red Sox on two runs, seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in seven innings. David Ortiz drove in both runs with a sacrifice fly and a single, but Hughes kept him and everybody else in the yard. He has allowed only one home run in 32 innings. The addition of a cut fastball to go with a repertory of fastball, curve, slider and changeup has made Hughes even more effective.

It was unclear what overcame Beckett, who began throwing erratically in the sixth inning. He hit two batters — one with the bases loaded — and also his catcher, Jason Varitek, with a fastball on a crossed-up delivery. Beckett said after the game that at that point in the game he had no idea where the ball was going.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi stopped short of saying that some of Burkett’s pitches were deliberate, but it turned out to be painful evening for the Yankees. Robinson Cano, struck inside the left knee, had to leave the game and won’t be in the field Saturday. Derek Jeter took one in the back but at least got an RBI out of it.

The hit batters brought the Yankees to the top step of the dugout that inning. With CC Sabathia on the hill Saturday, Red Sox hitters might not want to dig into the batter’s box too deeply.

An injury unrelated to Beckett was that sustained by Nick Johnson, who will come back to New York for tests on his sore right wrist. Johnson could end up back on the disabled list for the 10th time in his career.