Granderson hits first HR against righty, 4th of the year
April, 18, 2011
4/18/11
12:54
AM ET
By
Matt Ehalt | ESPNNewYork.com
If you had to take an educated guess before the season, would you have expected Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson to be without a home run 13 games into the season against left-handed pitchers or right-handed pitchers? Now don’t all yell out left-handed pitchers at once.
Yet, entering Sunday night, the outfielder, known for his struggles against lefties, had switched things up this year, bombarding left-handed pitching and belting three home runs versus lefties, while struggling versus righties with no home runs.
Sunday night, Granderson finally got on the board against the right-handed pitchers as he smacked his fourth home run of the season during the Yankees 6-5 win over the Rangers. Last year, Granderson belted 20 home runs against right-handed pitchers compared to four off lefties.
“It was good just to get a hit,” Granderson said. “I’ve been struggling against right-handed pitching and hopefully I can go ahead and turn the corner a little bit here, but that’s part of the early season, the ups and downs of it, can’t weigh too much on it,
Entering the game, Granderson was a career .285 hitter against righties and a .217 batter against left-handed hurlers. He also had hit 106 of his 129 career home runs (82.2 percent) against right handers.
This year, though, Granderson entered the game killing lefties with a .357 average and three home runs, but just a .179 average against right-handed tossers.
While he had been 0-for-2 on the night against Texas righty Alexi Ogando entering his third at-bat, he finally got the upper hand against the righty, belting a fastball just inside the right field foul pole to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
The home run also continues Granderson's power surge to start the season as he’s tied with three others for second on the team in home runs four. Last season, Granderson did not hit his fourth home run until his 34th game of the season, which happened to be the team’s 58th contest on June 8 as he missed some time with an injury.
Granderson didn’t have a reason for why he’s been hitting the ball out of the park so much.
“Nothing at all, everything has been the same concept as what we had at the end of the season, get the hands back and a little less with the stride and put yourself in a position to be able to attack the baseball as frequent as possible,” Granderson said. “That’s it. Reason they’re going out, not too sure.”
Yet, entering Sunday night, the outfielder, known for his struggles against lefties, had switched things up this year, bombarding left-handed pitching and belting three home runs versus lefties, while struggling versus righties with no home runs.
Sunday night, Granderson finally got on the board against the right-handed pitchers as he smacked his fourth home run of the season during the Yankees 6-5 win over the Rangers. Last year, Granderson belted 20 home runs against right-handed pitchers compared to four off lefties.
“It was good just to get a hit,” Granderson said. “I’ve been struggling against right-handed pitching and hopefully I can go ahead and turn the corner a little bit here, but that’s part of the early season, the ups and downs of it, can’t weigh too much on it,
Entering the game, Granderson was a career .285 hitter against righties and a .217 batter against left-handed hurlers. He also had hit 106 of his 129 career home runs (82.2 percent) against right handers.
This year, though, Granderson entered the game killing lefties with a .357 average and three home runs, but just a .179 average against right-handed tossers.
While he had been 0-for-2 on the night against Texas righty Alexi Ogando entering his third at-bat, he finally got the upper hand against the righty, belting a fastball just inside the right field foul pole to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
The home run also continues Granderson's power surge to start the season as he’s tied with three others for second on the team in home runs four. Last season, Granderson did not hit his fourth home run until his 34th game of the season, which happened to be the team’s 58th contest on June 8 as he missed some time with an injury.
Granderson didn’t have a reason for why he’s been hitting the ball out of the park so much.
“Nothing at all, everything has been the same concept as what we had at the end of the season, get the hands back and a little less with the stride and put yourself in a position to be able to attack the baseball as frequent as possible,” Granderson said. “That’s it. Reason they’re going out, not too sure.”

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Some good news from Wednesday's loss http://t.co/BgOXqPY7NB
about an hour ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Updated Kuroda story http://t.co/Gcc8GWOwOj He is expected to be OK
about 2 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
ICYMI: Rapid Reaction: Orioles 6, Yankees 3 http://t.co/owxOvY4UsD
about 2 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- ESPNNYYankees wallace matthews
Rapid Reaction: Orioles 6, Yankees 3 http://t.co/TBr2zf5FEg
about 3 hours ago
- ESPNNYYankees wallace matthews

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Girardi said he'd be shocked if Kuroda didn't make his next start.
about 3 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Yankees lose to the O's. The bigger story will be the severity of Kuroda's calf injury.
about 3 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
David Adams is good. Another homer. Yanks down 6-3, no outs in the 9th.
about 3 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Yanks' Kuroda hit in calf with liner, later leaves http://t.co/Gcc8GWOwOj
about 4 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
@McCulloughSL Cuz U R
about 4 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
RT @MyMiaLove: @AndrewMarchand We lost @JeterFan_02 to cancer tonight~ please rt. A sweetie~ cancer.
about 4 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Kuroda left with a bruised right calf, according to Yanks
about 4 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Nice call by the Binder, who said Granderson's swing was coming around. HR, double and a single tonight. We are in the 5th.
about 4 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Kuroda hit hard & hurt? http://t.co/u16pdZ3bW4
about 4 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
No word yet if Kuroda is hurt or Girardi just pulled him because of his ineffectiveness.
about 4 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Kuroda lifted
about 5 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
He drove home Granderson, who had his first extra base hit of the season.
about 5 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Cano gets one back for the Yankees with an RBI single.
about 5 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Outfield tryouts begin now. http://t.co/35wsb70wFw (h/t @DPLennon)
about 5 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Orioles really hitting Kuroda hard. He'll stay in.
about 5 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand

- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
Many guys have trouble recovering after being crushed early, but Kuroda has a great ability to find another way to get guys out.
about 6 hours ago
- AndrewMarchand Andrew Marchand
TEAM LEADERS
| BA LEADER | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Robinson Cano
|
|||||||||||
| OTHER LEADERS | ||||||||||||
| HR | R. Cano | 13 | ||||||||||
| RBI | R. Cano | 33 | ||||||||||
| R | R. Cano | 26 | ||||||||||
| OPS | R. Cano | .891 | ||||||||||
| W | H. Kuroda | 6 | ||||||||||
| ERA | H. Kuroda | 2.67 | ||||||||||
| SO | C. Sabathia | 56 | ||||||||||





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