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		The A's lose 3-1 to the Yankees By Jerry Feitelberg April 21, 2010

	Tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Athletics featured outstanding pitching. Ben Sheets started for the A’s and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits through 6 innings. Definitely a quality start for Sheets who is continuing to come back to form after being out with an injury that sidelined him for a year and a half. The A’s bullpen allowed one more run but they still kept the team in the game. However, the story tonight is the performance of the Yankees’ young right-hander, Phil Hughes. His performance was fantastic. After a one out walk n in the first inning, Hughes retired the next 20 batters in a row striking out 10 along the way. He had command of his pitchers and the A’s were putty in his hands. He was absolutely overpowering. Hughes was able to locate his pitches and did not use his changeup. He had a no hitter going until the eighth inning. With one out in the eighth Eric Chavez hit a rocket shot off Hughes’ forearm. Hughes looked in the air for the ball but the ball bounced down and away and by the time he found the ball, Chavez had reached first safely. It was a first pitch fastball away and that broke up the no hitter. Hughes said that he felt “frustrated”: in not being able to get the out. Joba Chamberlain came in and pitched 2/3rds of an inning and gave up a hit that allowed the A’s to score a run. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth and shut down the A’s to preserve the win for Hughes. After the game Yankee manager Joe Giradi discussed Hughes’ performance. Girardi said that Hughes had thrown the ball well in spring training and that he had gotten “bigger, stronger and more mature.” And now had “confidence to perform at a high level.” In the locker room, Hughes said that he “ obviously knew that he had a no hitter.” Hughes acknowledged that his parents had come up from Southern California to see him play tonight. They must have been extremely proud of his performance. Final score New York 3 Athletics 1