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Kennedy hopes for solid return as Yanks wrap set with Rays

Thu 15th, May 2008

(Sports Network) - Ian Kennedy will try to make the most of a second chance when the struggling young pitcher gets the starting assignment for the New York Yankees in this afternoon's finale of a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays from Tropicana Field.

Kennedy began the season in the Yankee rotation but was demoted to the minors on May 4 after recording a dismal 8.37 earned run average in seven starts and continuously struggling with his command, as evidenced by the rookies 20 walks in 23 2/3 innings. The righty's stay in Triple-A turned out to be a short one after his replacement, Kei Igawa, was bombed for six runs and 11 hits in just three innings during New Yorks 6-5 loss at Detroit on Friday.

The 23-year-old delivered a gem in his first start for Triple-A Scranton- Wilkes Barre on May 6, when Kennedy yielded just one hit and struck out eight without a walk over 7 1/3 shutout innings.

Kennedy did oppose the Rays twice prior to his banishment and held Tampa to three runs over six innings in a no-decision at Tropicana Field on April 14, the ex-USC standout's best major-league outing this season. He was also tagged for six runs over just 2 1/3 innings in a loss to the Rays at Yankee Stadium on April 4.

Kennedy takes the mound one day after old pro Mike Mussina handcuffed Tampa Bay to help the Yankees avenge a pair of defeats to the upstart Rays in the first two matchups of this set. The 39-year-old allowed just one run and five hits over 6 1/3 effective innings as New York came through with a 2-1 victory that ended Tampa's club-record 11-game home win streak.

Robinson Cano led the Yankees offensively with a 4-for-4 performance that included an RBI single which gave the Bronx Bombers a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Bobby Abreu later delivered a run-scoring double for New York, which had lost five of its last seven games prior to Wednesday's win.

Mussina (6-3) outdueled James Shields (4-3), who held the Yankees to a pair of runs and six hits before exiting with one out in the top of the eighth.

The Rays, who had won six in a row overall coming in, received two hits and an RBI out of Dioner Navarro on the evening. Akinori Iwamura finished 0-for-3 for Tampa Bay and saw an 11-game hit streak come to an end.

Armed with a new contract extension, Scott Kazmir makes his third start following a one-month stint on the disabled list for Tampa Bay this afternoon.

The hard-throwing southpaw missed all of April with a strained left elbow and struggled in his return to action on May 4, when Kazmir was touched for four runs (3 earned) and walked three in just four innings in a loss at Boston. He improved greatly in his second appearance, limiting the Angels to a mere three hits and fanning six through six shutout frames in the Rays' 2-0 triumph on Saturday.

The Rays announced on Wednesday that Kazmir has agreed to a four-year pact that guarantees the 24-year-old standout $28.5 million over the first three seasons and includes a club option for 2012. He led the American League with 239 strikeouts last season and represented Tampa Bay in the All-Star Game in 2006.

Kazmir owns a 2-3 record with a 3.00 ERA over nine career appearances against the Yankees, eight of which have been starts.

New York has won five of the eight encounters between these AL East foes so far this season and is 7-3 over its last 10 games at Tropicana Field.

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