Jeremy Bonderman's return to the majors didn't exactly go as planned. It won't get any easier for him on Friday, as the Seattle Mariners continue a four-game series with the New York Yankees at Safeco Field.
Bonderman made his first major league start since 2010 on Sunday in Minnesota and couldn't get out of the fifth inning, as he was rocked for seven runs and nine hits - 3 HRs - in just 4 1/3 frames.
"It was a lot of fun to walk out there and get back on the field and try to help the team win," he said. "It was just fun to get back out there, but obviously you have to pitch better than that."
Bonderman hadn't pitched since Oct. 1, 2010 while with the Detroit Tigers, the team he spent the first eight years of his career with. Since then, though, the Washington native had undergone elbow and shoulder surgeries before mounting a comeback.
"He just has to go out there and take what he learned from this and make the adjustments," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "He can't let this one beat him up. It's his first time back in a while and that's significant, too. Have some good work days and go out there and just be better next time."
Bonderman's struggles may continue on Friday, as he is just 3-9 lifetime versus the Yankees with a 5.62 ERA in 14 games (13 starts).
New York, meanwhile, will turn to right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, who is winless in his last three starts.
Kuroda has been the Yankees' best starter this season, but is 0-2 in his last three starts. The Japanese hurler was defeated by Boston on Sunday, as he surrendered three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings, dropping him to 6-4 on the year to go along with a 2.59 ERA.
In four starts versus Seattle, Kuroda has posted a 2-2 mark with a 2.70 ERA.
New York drew first blood in this series on Thursday, as Phil Hughes worked seven-plus innings and Robinson Cano hit a three-run home run to lift the Yankees to a 6-1 win.
Mark Teixeira hit a solo home run while Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki each drove in one for the Yankees, who have won four straight. Hughes (3-4) gave up just one run on three hits with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts to win for the first time in five starts.
Aaron Harang (2-6) was touched for all six runs on eight hits in just 2 1/3 innings for the Mariners, who were coming off a 16-inning loss to the White Sox on Wednesday. Kyle Seager had a pair of hits and drove in the lone run.
"He just wasn't making pitches, and they weren't missing them," said Seattle manager Eric Wedge about Harang. "On the other side, their guy was pitching tremendous out there today."
Seattle took two of three from the Yankees earlier in the season.