NEW YORK – The Yankee win streak was in good hands Tuesday night with CC Sabathia reprising his role of ace on the mound.The burly lefty won for the third straight time and looks every bit like the work horse the Yankees hoped he would be, allowing one run on three hits in seven innings in a 9-1 win over Baltimore at Yankee Stadium. Sabathia, who struck out seven, settled in after allowing singles to the first two batters of the game. He then retired 21 of 23 hitters.
“I could have finished it,” Sabathia explained when asked if he could have tossed a complete game, “but I understand why Joe (Girardi) took me out. We had a big inning and he had a chance to take me out.”
It remained a 2-1 game through Sabathia’s entire outing before the Yankees erupted for a seven-run seventh en route to their seventh straight victory. The bullpen threw two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth. Brian Bruney, who came off the disabled list before the game, and Brett Tomko each pitched 1-2-3 innings to close it out.
The Orioles (16-23) struck first on an RBI groundout by Aubrey Huff in the first inning, but Alex Rodriguez quickly erased the small deficit in the bottom half of the inning by connecting off Baltimore starter Brad Bergesen for a two-run shot. A-Rod has now homered in four consecutive games.
The home run was all Sabathia needed. Baltimore had just one hit the rest of the game – a fifth inning single by Nolan Reimold. Sabathia, who has a 1.12 ERA in his past three starts, improved to 4-3. He threw 105 pitches on the night.
The Yankee manager said Sabathia would have returned for the eighth if not for the big bottom of the seventh. Girardi then praised his ace for being able to stay strong and make quality pitches throughout the game. “He’s able to continually keep the ball down in the zone and make his pitches,” he said. “I talk about CC being such a strong guy. I mean he’s physically a strong man. He doesn't seem to get tired around 90-100 pitches. He’s the type of guy that can continue and stay strong and make his pitches, and that’s what’s so impressive to me.”
For six innings, Bergesen (1-2) matched Sabathia pitch-for-pitch. He exited after 6 1/3 innings with runners on first and second in a 2-1 game, leaving it for reliever Chris Ray.
Ray allowed a single to Melky Cabrera to load the bases, but got Francisco Cervelli to hit a slow grounder to shortstop Robert Andino that should have at least recorded the second out. Instead, Andino booted the ball, plating Nick Swisher from third, reloading the bases.
Derek Jeter followed with double into right-center that cleared the bases after center fielder Adam Jones made an errant throw, allowing Cervelli to score. Mark Teixeira put on the finishing touches, blasting a two-run homer – his fourth in four games.
The Yankees will try and make it eight straight tonight in the middle game of a three-game series with the Orioles. Phil Hughes (1-3, 7.56 ERA) will oppose Baltimore’s Jeremy Guthrie (3-3, 5.21).
Notes: The Yankees’ 15 come-from-behind wins are tied for tops in the majors with Philadelphia’s 15. The Yankees have won an MLB-best eight games in their last at-bat…The Yankees lead the majors with a .355 batting average (81-for-228) in “close and late” situations (defined as the seventh inning or later with the batting team ahead by 1R, tied, or with the tying run on base, at bat or on-deck), with 21 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs and 52 RBI…Chien-Ming Wang threw a side session before the game after making his second rehab start Sunday with Triple A Scranton. He tossed a complete game shutout in a 3-0 victory. He allowed four hits and walked none, throwing 49 of 75 pitches for strikes.
“I could have finished it,” Sabathia explained when asked if he could have tossed a complete game, “but I understand why Joe (Girardi) took me out. We had a big inning and he had a chance to take me out.”
It remained a 2-1 game through Sabathia’s entire outing before the Yankees erupted for a seven-run seventh en route to their seventh straight victory. The bullpen threw two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth. Brian Bruney, who came off the disabled list before the game, and Brett Tomko each pitched 1-2-3 innings to close it out.
The Orioles (16-23) struck first on an RBI groundout by Aubrey Huff in the first inning, but Alex Rodriguez quickly erased the small deficit in the bottom half of the inning by connecting off Baltimore starter Brad Bergesen for a two-run shot. A-Rod has now homered in four consecutive games.
The home run was all Sabathia needed. Baltimore had just one hit the rest of the game – a fifth inning single by Nolan Reimold. Sabathia, who has a 1.12 ERA in his past three starts, improved to 4-3. He threw 105 pitches on the night.
The Yankee manager said Sabathia would have returned for the eighth if not for the big bottom of the seventh. Girardi then praised his ace for being able to stay strong and make quality pitches throughout the game. “He’s able to continually keep the ball down in the zone and make his pitches,” he said. “I talk about CC being such a strong guy. I mean he’s physically a strong man. He doesn't seem to get tired around 90-100 pitches. He’s the type of guy that can continue and stay strong and make his pitches, and that’s what’s so impressive to me.”
For six innings, Bergesen (1-2) matched Sabathia pitch-for-pitch. He exited after 6 1/3 innings with runners on first and second in a 2-1 game, leaving it for reliever Chris Ray.
Ray allowed a single to Melky Cabrera to load the bases, but got Francisco Cervelli to hit a slow grounder to shortstop Robert Andino that should have at least recorded the second out. Instead, Andino booted the ball, plating Nick Swisher from third, reloading the bases.
Derek Jeter followed with double into right-center that cleared the bases after center fielder Adam Jones made an errant throw, allowing Cervelli to score. Mark Teixeira put on the finishing touches, blasting a two-run homer – his fourth in four games.
The Yankees will try and make it eight straight tonight in the middle game of a three-game series with the Orioles. Phil Hughes (1-3, 7.56 ERA) will oppose Baltimore’s Jeremy Guthrie (3-3, 5.21).
Notes: The Yankees’ 15 come-from-behind wins are tied for tops in the majors with Philadelphia’s 15. The Yankees have won an MLB-best eight games in their last at-bat…The Yankees lead the majors with a .355 batting average (81-for-228) in “close and late” situations (defined as the seventh inning or later with the batting team ahead by 1R, tied, or with the tying run on base, at bat or on-deck), with 21 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs and 52 RBI…Chien-Ming Wang threw a side session before the game after making his second rehab start Sunday with Triple A Scranton. He tossed a complete game shutout in a 3-0 victory. He allowed four hits and walked none, throwing 49 of 75 pitches for strikes.
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