Tonight's Pitching Matchup: Yankees vs. Rangers Game 2

After last night's thrilling win in Texas, it's time to come back and try to take yet another game in Texas. Let's see how tonight's starting pitching match-up looks:

Phil Hughes vs. the Rangers hitters (including playoffs)

	PA	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	GDP
Josh Hamilton	3	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.667	1.000	0
Nelson Cruz	5	5	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	.200	.200	.400	.600	0
Vladimir Guerrero	7	7	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	.286	.286	.286	.571	1
Ian Kinsler	6	5	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000	.167	.000	.167	1
Mike Young	8	7	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000	.125	.000	.125	1
Elvis Andrus	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
Jorge Cantu	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
Jeff Francoeur	7	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
David Murphy	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
Total	42	40	4	2	0	0	1	2	8	.100	.143	.150	.293	3

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/16/2010.

Phil Hughes gets his second start of the playoffs and this time him and Andy Pettitte flip-flop spots in the rotation (one can debate whether it makes a difference). Hughes' time against the Rangers is quite limited, his most famous outing being a no-hitter in Texas that he had to come out of after only 6.1 innings in 2007 due to a hamstring issue. Hughes 2010 experience was an inning in relief on September 10th. Overall Hughes has pitched three times against the Rangers (two starts), has pitched 15.1 innings, given up only 3 hits, struck out 13 and walked 4. Vlad Guerrero was the one Ranger who has faced Hughes in the playoffs (in last year's ALCS). Overall, Hughes has pitched better on the road in his career, but especially in 2010, where his ERA is 1.19 runs better away from the Bronx.

Colby Lewis vs. the Yankees hitters

	PA	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	GDP
Derek Jeter	6	5	3	0	0	2	3	1	1	.600	.667	1.800	2.467	0
Jorge Posada	8	6	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	.000	.250	.000	.250	2
Lance Berkman	7	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
Total	21	18	3	0	0	2	3	3	5	.167	.286	.500	.786	2

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/16/2010.

The reason Lewis doesn't have numbers against anyone else is because he spent the last two years in Japan. He's a more refined pitcher now than he was then, but these three hitters got to face Lewis before that Japanese tour of duty occurred. Jeter has hit Lewis hard in his limited experience against him and Posada and Berkman have struggled, with Jorge grounding into double plays in a third of his official ABs and Lance Berkman striking out 4 times in 7 PAs. On June 25th, Berkman faced off against Lewis while playing for the Astros and went 0 for 3. Overall, Lewis is 0-2 in 3 starts against the Yankees in his career with a 6.89 ERA, giving up 20 hits in 15.2 innings, striking out 10 and walking 9.

7 more wins to go as the Quest for 28 continues at 4 PM today