The Detroit Tigers have beaten the New York Yankees like a drum for two games, and on Thursday May 1st Leyland and the Tigers will go for a 3-game sweep of Joe Girardi’s Yankees at the Stadium in the Bronx. The action begins at 7:05 pm EDT and can be seen on the YES Network. Sportsbetting.com has the New York Yankees a -114 favorites at home versus the Detroit Tigers +104 and the Over/Under set at 10.5 combined total runs.
The Bombers will face the LHP Nate Robertson (0-3, 6.92 ERA) for the first time this season. The current Yankees lineup has had plenty of success against Detroit’s left-hander in the past 4 years (03-07).
Jason Giambi is batting .538 in 13 at bats with 1 HR and 3 RBI. Bobby Abreu also sees the ball well 
against Robertson batting .500 in 6 at bats. While leadoff man Johnny Damon in 20 AB is swinging the lumber well with a .400 average and bringing in 5 RBI against the Tiger’s starter. But tonight, offense won’t be the (biggest) problem for the Yankees.
The issue tonight for NY will be Ian Kennedy’s ability to keep them in the game, and/or to protect a lead. Already one self-proclaimed “the three amigos” (Chamberlain, Hughes, and Kennedy) has been taken out of the rotation (Phil Hughes) and placed in the 15-day DL. Thus, no one knows when/if Hughes will comeback to the majors, as rumor has it the 21-year old RHP is headed back to the minors (AAA Scranton).
Needles to say, this is a key start for Ian Kennedy (0-2, 8.53 ERA), as his job also appears to be hanging by a thread. He will need to show something in tonight’s start against a very potent Tiger’s offense, if he wants to stick around in the majors. Or else, he will be joining his buddy Hughes back in the farm system.
