Chase Wright Props Up Yankees
A Young Pitcher Delivers Just What New York Needed
Chase Wright had never pitched a game above AA before April 17, but he managed to get enough outs to help the beleaguered Yankees earn a victory.
April 17, 2007: For one night, a pitcher who had never pitched above AA held down Major League hitters enough to earn his first win in the big leagues.
Chase Wright pitched five okay innings against the Indians in Yankee Stadium to get his first victory. Wright had been pitching in AA Trenton before the call-up. He had started two games, was 1 – 0 and had not allowed a run in 14 innings pitched. When Carl Pavano could not make his scheduled start, Wright made the trip up from Trenton.
He had some control issues at the start, but what 24 year old starting at Yankee Stadium for the first time wouldn’t? He walked the first two batters he faced. The two walks cost Wright, for even as he got two ground ball outs, Grady Sizemore found a way to get across home plate.
The Yankee offense did not have him worried for long. When pitching your first Major League game it definitely helps to have the Yankee lineup backing you up. Alex Rodriguez drove in a run and Jason Giambi hit a sacrifice fly to give Wright the lead right back.
After a solid second inning, the Yankee offense gave their young starting pitcher a wonderful cushion. A six run explosion, including a three-run homerun by Rodriguez, gave Wright and the Yankees an 8 – 1 advantage.
While Wright would allow two more runs on a Travis Hafner homerun and an Andy Marte single he gave the Yankees exactly what they needed. He provided a sold stop-gap solution to the Yankees’ pitching woes. Wright through 104 pitches over five innings struck out three and walked three. His new manager was very pleased with his performance.
Joe Torre said that he was pleased the young kid went after people and that he had a presence about him, high praise for a pitcher who had just this season pitched in a game above A.
He left with a 8 – 3 and the bullpen was able to come in and mope things up as Brian Bruney, Mike Myers and Chris Britton pitched four no-hit innings of relief.
The Yankees scored two more runs and Wright earned his first ever Major League victory. After the game Ron Guidry handed him a souvenir, the Yankee lineup card. Supported by bats like that who couldn’t win?
Now though, Wright might face a bigger task. The Yankees head to Boston this weekend, and it is possible the rookie will still be on the Major League roster. If the health of Chien-Ming Wang, Carl Pavano, Mike Mussina and Jeff Karstens does not improve Wright could be pitching on a bigger stage, the middle of the New York, Boston rivalry.
