Duffy to dig deep as he searches for return to win column in start against Yankees
After failing to get out of the fourth inning in consecutive losses, Danny Duffy said he worked on a new adjustment this week.
Perhaps facing the scuffling New York Yankees will help him end his woes.
The Kansas City Royals starter will try to extend the Yankees' losing streak to five games Saturday night when he matches up with fellow struggling left-hander CC Sabathia.
Duffy (2-2, 5.67 ERA) began 2-0 with a 3.45 ERA in his first five outings before being pounded for 10 runs over 4 2/3 innings in two starts in May. He failed to make it out of the fourth inning again Monday and surrendered six runs in an 8-2 loss at Texas.
"There's going to be stretches in your career, I've heard it from a bazillion people, that you just don't have your best stuff every time you go out there," he said. "It's not for lack of confidence."
Duffy did not reveal the adjustment he made during Wednesday's bullpen session. He is 1-1 with a 8.36 ERA in four starts against New York, with Mark Teixeira enjoying the most experience against him with two hits in seven at-bats.
The Yankees (21-16) have totaled six runs and four extra-base hits in this losing streak with eight walks to 32 strikeouts. They turned in a second straight five-hit effort in Friday's 12-1 defeat to open this three-game set.
Chase Headley is 2 for 11 in this slide, Brian McCann is 3 for 14 and Teixeira has been held without an extra-base hit.
"It's just what happens with offenses," manager Joe Girardi said. "It happens, teams go through little times where they don't hit as well as others. It's no fun when you're going through it but our guys will come out."
Girardi figures to start Chris Young, who has never faced Duffy but is batting .419 against lefties.
Sabathia (1-5, 5.20) could be hard-pressed to win his second straight if the offense fizzles. He allowed four runs in seven innings in Monday's 11-5 rout at Tampa Bay -- gaining his first victory and the most recent one for New York.
"That's my biggest concern, is always just trying to help the team," Sabathia told MLB's official website. "I think wins will come, and it was good to get this one."
Sabathia is 18-11 lifetime against Kansas City, including 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA in five starts with the Yankees. He didn't face the Royals last year.
The Kansas City hitters he has faced the most that he will see Saturday are Omar Infante (6 for 32) and Alex Gordon (5 for 28).
Sabathia will have to be wary since the Royals lead the majors with a .291 average and feature excellent contact hitters. The club entered the weekend putting 21.6 percent of pitches in play for baseball's best mark.
Kansas City (23-13) fell one shy of a season high with 17 hits Friday. Lorenzo Cain had three hits and a career-high five RBIs, Kendrys Morales drove in three runs and Mike Moustakas turned in his fourth career four-hit effort.
"We swung the bat well as a team tonight," Cain said. "That's all you can ask for."
Eric Hosmer is batting .367 during a 12-game hitting streak. He's 2 for 7 off Sabathia.
