BALTIMORE — No one has given up more home runs in the American League this year than Phil Hughes. Tonight, he has to try to keep the Yankees from falling out of first place for the first time in nearly three months — and he has to figure out how to stop Mark Reynolds.
“[Hughes] knows what’s at stake,” CC Sabathia said as he walked out of the clubhouse following the Yankees’ 10-6 loss to the Orioles last night. “Nothing needs to be said. He’s pitched in playoff games and has the stuff and the makeup to succeed in games like this one.”
Hughes, like David Phelps last night, likely will be pitching in a playoff atmosphere. Camden Yards was packed and loud last night.
But of more immediate concern is Reynolds, the slugging first baseman who has had multiple home runs in three of his last four games against the Yankees.
“The kid is so strong,” Russell Martin said, seemingly at a loss with how to combat Reynolds, who homered in the sixth and eighth innings last night. “When he hits the ball, you’re always holding your breath.”
Reynolds topped the league in strikeouts each of the past four seasons, but also belted over 30 homers in three of those years.
“Right now, he’s not missing his pitch,” Martin said. “He’s an all-or-nothing guy. He’s always been that way. If you leave a ball in his happy zone, he’s gonna hit it.”
Last night, Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson both paid for mistakes. Hughes has surrendered 32 homers and the Yankees would like him to avoid the same fate.
“The way they’re swinging, they don’t have any holes in that lineup,” Martin said. “The big difference is Reynolds. He’s been hurting us. He’s streaky.”
Reynolds can’t explain why he has gotten hot late in the season.
“Well, I’m definitely more confident, that’s obvious,” said Reynolds, who has 20 homers this year. “I don’t know what I’m doing differently now that I wasn’t doing before, but I hit a home run a few weeks ago and it’s just snowballed from there.”
Hughes followed three terrific seven-inning performances with a clunker his last time out and his 13-12 record indicates how inconsistent he has been.
“We don’t have any reason to believe he won’t deliver for us,” Sabathia said of the right-hander.
Hughes has given up homers in his last six starts, a trend that seems unlikely to change tonight, but one that may have to if the Yankees want to avoid second place.