Yanks' Rodriguez still seeking 1st Series hit

[October 30, 2009]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Kate Hudson was talking to Kurt Russell when she suddenly stopped, leaned forward in a second-row box seat and clasped her hands together.

Moments later, she kicked back and shook her head. The mighty A-Rod had struck out -- again.

A beast in the AL playoffs, Alex Rodriguez has become a bust in his first World Series. 

Totally out of whack, swinging at shadows, his performance at the plate in Game 2 Thursday night mirrored his output in the opener. So far: 0 for 8 with six strikeouts.

"I'm not concerned," the New York Yankees star said. "The fact that I'm 0-fer in this Series and we're 1-1 makes me feel good."

Hudson sure didn't seem to enjoy watching her boyfriend struggle against the Philadelphia Phillies during the Yankees' 3-1 win.

The actress grimaced when Rodriguez flailed at a changeup from Pedro Martinez in the sixth inning -- Rodriguez flipped his bat after his body bent out of shape chasing the pitch. She edged closer to a TV monitor to watch a replay after he was called out on strikes in the eighth.

"I've missed some pitches, fouled some off," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez seemed ready to put all his October failures behind him after hammering his way through the first two rounds, hitting a combined .438 with five home runs and 12 RBIs against Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels.

But after striking out three times in a game only twice all year, he's done it in each of the first two games against the Phils. Cliff Lee got him on Wednesday night, then Martinez and Ryan Madson stopped him.

"I think they're being careful," Rodriguez said.

This isn't a good sign for him, either: Cole Hamels is set to start Game 3 for the Phillies on Saturday night. During the regular season, Hamels was the only pitcher to fan Rodriguez three times in a game.

Hardly what anyone expected from the three-time MVP, a guy who waited 16 years to get this far. Seldom-used Matt Stairs and Jerry Hairston Jr. each have a hit in this Series.

A-Rod, however, is A-Zero.

Russell, a former minor leaguer in the Angels' organization and the longtime companion of Hudson's mother, Goldie Hawn, cupped his hands together and shouted encouragement to Rodriguez in the late innings. Didn't work.

"I know he'll bounce back," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously you want him to continue on the torrid pace that he was on, but he'll bounce back, and we'll get it going with him in Philly."

Mark Teixeira also was hitless in his Series debut until launching a tying, solo home run in the fourth inning. Rodriguez was up next and with the crowd rooting for the Yankees' cleanup man to connect, he hit a routine fly ball.

"The first couple of series, Alex carried the entire offense, really," Teixeira said. "He hasn't gotten any hits, but I'm going to bet Alex is going to be fine the rest of the Series. And if not, then hopefully me or a couple other guys are going to step it up and do what we've done all season."

[Associated Press; By BEN WALKER]

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