This time, one bad inning didn’t kill Phil Hughes and the Yankees.
After failing to get out of the fifth inning in either of his previous two starts, the right-hander seemed well on his way to another disappointing outing when Dustin Pedroia’s three-run homer capped a four-run frame for the Red Sox.
But Hughes recovered and gave up just two more hits and lasted seven innings in the Yankees’ 6-4 win in The Bronx.
“I talk about bounce-back starts all the time and I needed one here,” said Hughes, who relied on his elusive changeup a considerable amount last night, to good effect.
“I used my changeup more than I have all year in this game,” said Hughes, who threw two to leadoff batter Jacoby Ellsbury in his first at- bat.
“I tried to keep guys off-balance and I want to throw it to righties because they only had two pitches [fastball and curve] to look for.”
Expect him to do the same his next start after another solid outing from a rotation continuing to survive without CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte.
Predict Hughes’ future at your own risk, though, because of his inconsistency throughout 2012 — actually, his entire career.
Last night was no different, as Hughes was alternately excellent and frustrating.
“He might not be having the year that he’s wanted to have so far, but we want him on the mound,” Nick Swisher said. “When he’s locating his fastball, he’s a tough guy to hit.”
Hughes’ rough third inning began when he allowed a single to Mike Aviles. Scott Podsednik followed with a comebacker and Hughes ill-advisedly tried to get Aviles at second.
The situation only grew worse when Hughes “flung” the ball well short and to the left of shortstop Jayson Nix.
“I was kicking myself about that,” Hughes said.
An RBI groundout got the Red Sox on the board and after walking Ellsbury and getting Carl Crawford to pop out, Pedroia smashed his home run to left.
But where Hughes has collapsed in the past, this time he found his footing.
He permitted a single — and nothing more — in each of the next two innings and then retired the final seven batters he faced to improve to 12-10, tying Sabathia for the team lead in victories.
“This was good,” Hughes said. “But I know I have to build on it.”