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BUFFALO, N.Y. –Andrew Brackman learned Tuesday night that improving his control may have unintended consequences.
Brackman, the 6-foot-10 Yankees prospect, walked just two batters in five innings of work, a distinct improvement over the five walks he issued in each of his previous two starts.
He also, however, allowed a season-high five runs to the Buffalo Bisons, who scored a 9-5 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Coca-Cola Field.
“I tried to cut back on the walks, and then the hits go up,” observed Brackman (2-2), who yielded eight hits. “I felt I had most of my pitches working. Sometimes it goes your way, and sometimes it doesn’t.”
“Their guys got some good swings,” added Yankees manager Dave Miley. “He’s working on some things and it was one of those nights where he left some balls up.”
The nine runs were the most allowed by the Yankees this season, and six were driven in by Valentino Pascucci, a hulking 6-foot-6, 268-pound first baseman who entered the game with just five RBI.
Brackman, in his first Triple-A season, admits he’s learning every time he takes the mound.
“I’ve got to limit the mistakes and keep battling,” said Brackman, who threw 51 of his 87 pitches for strikes. “I don’t feel like I’ve been keeping hitters off-balance, and that’s what I need to do at this level.”
The 25-year old got into immediate trouble, allowing a leadoff triple in the first inning to Ruben Tejada. A ground out by the following batter, Jesus Feliciano, plated the game’s first run.
Scranton grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third on a two-run homer by Jorge Vazquez, who tied teammate Justin Maxwell for the league home run lead. Each now has 12.
The lead evaporated in the fourth, as Fernando Martinez led off with a homer to tie the game at 2-2 and Pascucci bounced a two-run double down the left field line.
The Bisons extended their lead in the fifth when Feliciano drew a leadoff walk and scored, then made it 7-2 in the sixth on a two-run homer by Pascucci.
The Yankees clawed back with three runs in the seventh to draw within two runs at 7-5. Chris Dickerson led off with a homer and Jordan Parraz came through with a two-run double to left-center.
Buffalo, however, countered in its half of the seventh and as Pascucci drove in two more runs with a single off reliever Eric Wordekemper.
At the time, Buffalo had runners at second and third with two out, a situation which might have prompted an intentional walk to the player who proved to be the most dangerous hitter of the game.
“I didn’t think about it,” Miley said. “If I considered it I would have walked him.”
Bisons starter D.J. Carrasco (1-1) struck out nine in five innings.
Dan Brewer had his nine-game hitting streak snapped. He had hits in his first five games with the Yankees before being sent down to Trenton on April 25. He then recorded hits in all four games following his call back to the Yankees last Friday.
Brewer struck out his first three at bats and was one of three Yankees to fan three times, joining Maxwell and Doug Bernier. In all, Yankee batters struck out 14 times to tie a season-high.
“We just have to cut down on strikeouts – period,” Miley said. “When you average almost 10 a game (295 in 31 games), that’s not a very positive thing.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Next Game: 7:05 p.m. today at Buffalo
Probable Pitchers: Yankees RHP David Phelps (2-3, 3.47) vs. Bisons RHP Chris Schwinden (2-1, 2.00)
On deck: Jorge Vazquez will look to become the second Yankee this season to hit homers in three straight games.
Radio: All games came be heard on THE GAME (1340-AM) with Mike Vander Woude