Special Performance for Hiroki Kuroda in ALCS Game 2

October 14, 2012 — Hiroki Kuroda’s bid for a perfect game ended in the sixth inning of today’s ALCS Game 2, when leadoff hitter Jhonny Peralta singled. But, although Kuroda is no-longer pursuing baseball immortality, his work today is still inspiring.

On the heels of the Yankees most difficult loss of the season, Kuroda has gone out and limited the Tigers to one baserunner in six innings. He’s made it look easy, and that is no minor accomplishment considering that Detroit’s lineup features a leadoff hitter in Austin Jackson who batted .300 during the regular season, the first triple-crown winner since 1967 in Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder who batted .313 with 30 home runs and 108 RBI in 2012.

For the second time this postseason, Kuroda is keeping Yankees hitters in a game in which they are being stymied, and save for the hit the Tigers got in the sixth, the righthander hasn’t been challenged.

–Alfred Santasiere III