Hudson, Randolph Spark the Yankees

The New York Yankees hoped Charles Hudson, acquired during the winter from Philadelphia for Mike Easler, might make some contribution this year. One week into the season, he has become their best pitcher, a commodity the Cleveland Indians are still missing.

Hudson, forced into an emergency start when Tommy John became ill with a stomach virus thirty minutes prior to the game, struck out 10 and allowed just three hits--all solo home runs--as the Yankees won their home opener by routing Cleveland, 11-3.

Willie Randolph drove in five runs, with four hits, including a pair of doubles as New York rapped 15 hits.

Hudson was scheduled to start tonight (Tuesday) but responded with his first complete game since Oct. 2, 1985, just a few hours after seeing the inside of Yankee Stadium for the first time in his life. Hudson’s wife Nikki and daughter missed the game, however, because they had timed their drive north from Georgia to watch him Tuesday.

“I just had to put my game face on,” said Hudson, who won his first decision with the Yankees last week by pitching 4 innings of perfect relief. “When there’s a big crowd, I get pumped.”

Randolph and the rest of the Yankees were excited by Hudson’s performance, particularly because pitching was thought to be their weak spot.

“We need Charlie desperately,” Randolph said. “He just picks up the ball and goes right at them.”

The Indians are more then desperate for pitching, having allowed 52 runs this season in seven games, six of them losses, including the last four. Greg Swindell, gave up five runs on eight hits in just over three innings, giving Cleveland starters an 8.16 earned run average this year.

“Yeah, I’m surprised by our pitching,” Indians’ Manager Pat Corrales said. “I didn’t think it would be that bad.”

Corrales was Hudson’s first major league manager in 1983 with the Phillies. Hudson, with a 34-42 major league record, has been hurt by inconsistency in his career.

“He shut us down. He’s done it before,” Corrales said.