Hughes And Kennedy Create An Interesting Matchup

SAN DIEGO -- Last night, Ivan Nova continued to solidify himself as a legit starter in the Yankees rotation, tossing seven shutout inning, while giving up only four hits and striking out eight. Nova continued his hot run since becoming a start for the Yanks in July, lowering his ERA to 1.66 over his last five starts.

"I've been feeling really good," Nova said. "Like I've said in the past, I don't remember the last time I felt the way I feel now. I'm working hard to try to repeat it every time. I'm trying to go out there and do my job, try to help the team to win games."

Curtis Granderson gave him such much needed run supports in the 7th inning when he blasted his second homeruns of the season into the right field seats.

Now, after losing to series opener Friday night, the Yankees will do what they can to come out of San Diego with a series win, before heading out to Chicago on Monday.

Today's Lineup, 4:05 EST @ Petco Park:

Suzuki RF
Cano 2B
Soriano LF
Granderson CF
Overbay 1B
Nunez SS
Nix 3B
Romine C
Hughes RHP

Pitching Preview:

As the trade deadline approached last Wednesday, many wondered if Phil Hughes would still be a Yankee at days end. Well, he's still a Yankee, and now he's got a chance to show the Yankees fans why he still deserves to be here.

He's looking to rebound from his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays last Sunday when they knocked him around for five runs on nine hits in only four innings of work. He'll be making his first start in August after posting a 1-2 record with a 3.86 ERA in five July starts.

Hughes will be pitching against his former Yankee teammate Ian Kennedy, who made his major league debut in 2007 along with Hughes. Kennedy is making his first start since being traded to the Padres on Wednesday, and he'll also be making his first start against the Yankees.

Kennedy, like Hughes, has struggled throughout the season, his struggles were one of the main reasons he was traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"It is kind of interesting. When we had them both here in 2008 and they were both in our rotation, that's not what you expect to see, them matching up five years later," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "That's the world we live in in baseball. Somebody said we have to make sure we get Joba [Chamberlain] in that game, too. Maybe there will be some innings limits tomorrow."

Yankee Notes:

* Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-0 with four walks in his final rehab game with Double-A Trenton Saturday night, in what could have been his final as a professional baseball player, as Major League Baseball is expected to announce a lengthy suspension for A-Rod on Monday.

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