Do or die once again... Hughes and Yanks look to stay alive one more night

Phil Hughes will be making the biggest start of his career with the Yankees still in a 3-2 hole. Hughes was knocked around in game one and is in desperate need to regain his form this time out. The Rangers will send Colby Lewis to the mound, hoping to crush the Yankees hope of becoming a part of history.

Since game two was last Saturday, both starters have had plenty of time to rest up. Hughes this year is 6-1 3.75 ERA when he gets five days rest, the Yankees would like to see this Hughes not the one who was beat up in game two. But it isn't all about rest, in game two Hughes was not locating his fastball, and threw way to many cutters. After watching the Rangers for the past few games, it is obvious that most of their hitters can handle a fastball, even ones as effective as Hughes. Hughes is going to need to throw his breaking pitches tonight to be effective, especially to Josh Hamilton who has killed the Yankees this series by hitting fastballs. But on top of what pitches to throw Hughes needs to have better command of his pitches. He may have walked just three batters in his first start in the series, but too many of his pitches were left in the middle of the plate. You cant do that against a team like Texas. I also would not be against Hughes throwing a bit up and in to Hamilton or any of the Rangers hitters, it just seems like they have become so comfortable up at the plate.

Colby Lewis dominated the Yankees the first time around, but it always seemed like the Yankees would get a few guys on and then not get the big hit. Well that could be the story of their entire season, they haven't hit with RISP. But prior to game two, only a handful of bombers had ever seen Lewis, and that was back when he was with the Rangers years ago. Now Lewis is a better pitcher then back in early 2000's, that with a combination that the Yankees always struggle against pitchers they have not seen before. But this time around the Yankees have seen Lewis once, his stuff didn't impress me and as long as the Yankee hitters take a few pitches a wait for a mistake they could force a game seven.

If the Yankees fall behind tonight in a close game tonight expect any of the pitchers to be available, because if they lose, their wont be a tomorrow until spring training 2011.