Burnett not making too much of it

A.J. Burnett came into tonight 4-0 for the first in his career with a 1.99 ERA. He was summarily pounded here at Fenway, which has become somewhat routine since he joined the Yankees.

“I wish I knew, I really do,” Burnett said, asked why he’s struggled so much as a Yankee at Fenway. “I’m not pitching bad because I’m over-amped or anything like that for these series. I just have not made pitches.”

He didn't tonight, allowing nine runs, eight earned, and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings, his shortest outing since lasting 2 2/3 innings, you guessed it, here last June 9. But Burnett said his problems tonight had nothing to do with venue; it had to do with putting too many hittable balls over the plate.  

“I don’t want to take anything away from these guys [the Red Sox] but I think I would have gotten pounded now matter who I faced tonight,” he said.

Burnett said it was "one of those night" but not one that will derail what had been a terrific start to the season.

“It’s not going to stop me,” he said. “I’m feeling good where I’m at right now. It’s a bump in the road. The good ones overcome that.” 

*** Joe Girardi, while certainly not ripping Marcus Thames, clearly wasn't thrilled with the outfielder's performance in left. 

"He had kind of a tough night tonight," Girardi said. "It was a windy night, though, and it seemed to be effecting the ball in leftfield more than anything. But he's got to be able to play out there for us, that's the bottom line."

As for his ejection in the fourth, Girardi didn't say much about it, though he said "you could write that" when asked if Tim McClelland had just cause to throw him out.

“I’m protecting my player and that’s really all I want to say about that," Girardi said.

And with that, time to head to the hotel, pack and soon after that head to the airport for an early morning flight to Detroit. Tomorrow night it's Sergio Mitre (0-0, 2.79), making his first start of the season, taking on Dontrelle Willis (1-1, 3.99).