Game 45. Tit for Tat. O’s win in 10, 3-2.

Last night the Yanks beat the Orioles in 10, tonight it was the other way around as the O’s got a walk-off HR from Nate McLouth in the 10th to win 3-2.

Phil Hughes went six and gave up 2 runs. Much better than his last outing of 7 R in 2/3 of an inning. Ex-Yankee Chris Dickerson tormented his former club with 2 solo HR off of Hughes.

The Yanks got a run in the first on a double by Gardner and a single by Hafner. Hafner pretty much was the whole Yanks offense tonight with 2 H and both RBI. The Yanks only had three other hits all night.

Dickerson’s 1st HR of the night tied it at one in the third.

In the fourth, Wells doubled and Hafner singled. 2-1 Yanks, but Dickerson’s second HR off Hughes tied it in the fifth.

In the seventh, a play that could have turned the game around. With two out, David Adams (doing well since his callup) singled. Jayson Nix lined on to the gap that Nick Markasis made a diving catch on. If it gets by him and to the wall, it’s a double, Adams scores, and the Yanks go up 3-2.

Hughes 6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 walks and 5 K. The good Phil. We never know what we will good. When good, he’s very good. When bad, he’s very bad. A decent effort tonight, ERA to 5.51 (still way too high).

Logan 2/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 1.93.

Kelley 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 5.30.

Robertson 1 IP. 3 up, 3 down all by K. 2.79.

Claiborne 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. He still hasn’t given up a run since being called up to the majors. 0.00.

Vidal Nuno came in (his 3rd MLB game) and gave up a HR to the first batter he faced. Ballgame over. Nuno 1-1, 1.13.

Curtis Granderson is struggling since coming off the DL. .174.

Game 43. Cano (2), Hafner HRs lead Yanks, 7-2.

Robbie Cano was slumping, hitting just .204-2-8 since May 5th. He broke out of it today with two two-run HRs and four RBI as the Yanks beat Toronto 7-2.

Travis Hafner had missed a couple of games due to a shoulder issue, but he got a two-run HR as well.

David Phelps (W, 2-2, 3.83) pitched seven innings, 1 R, 6 H, 3 walks and 8 K.

David Robertson the 8th, 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks and a K. ERA to 3.12.

Boone Logan the 9th. 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 2.13.

The Yanks got three in the third on an RBI single by Gardner and Robbie’s first two-run dinger. Toronto got one back in the fourth.

Robbie’s second two-run HR in the fifth made it 5-1. Toronto got a HR by Encarnacion in the 8th to cut it to 5-2 but Hafner’s two-run HR in the bottom of the 8th closed the scoring.

Phelps has done well filling in for Nova. I hope Hughes was watching and noticing.

Game 41. No #250 for Andy as he leaves early. Yanks lose, 3-2.

Not only did Andy Pettitte not get his 250th career win tonight, he could not qualify for the win. He was pulled with neck and back trouble and took the loss after going just 4 2/3 in the Yanks 3-2 loss to Seattle.

Before the game, the Yanks optioned Brett Marshall back to SWB and brought up Dellin Betances. Here’s some info from mlb.com on the 6’8″ Betances, who may make it as a reliever, but to be frank, has been a disappointment.

Betances, 25, had been touted as one of the club’s brightest pitching prospects, ranked No. 19 by MLB.com, but the local product has experienced struggles with his control and recently moved to the bullpen full-time at Triple-A, where he was 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA in eight games (six starts).

Marshall gave up 5 R in 5 2/3 in his MLB debut but threw 108 pitches, hence the move.

In the 2nd, Andy gave up an RBI double, and the Yanks got it right back on a double by David Adams for his first career RBI.

Andy gave up a run in the fourth on a bases-loaded, 2-out infield single. He had to leave with the injury after 4 2/3. Hopefully a DL stint isn’t necessary, but after his last outing, it’s good to know that Nuno is available.

Not only that, C Chris Stewart left the game with an issue.

Calling Hawkeye and B.J. The M*A*S*H* unit is getting (can you believe it?) larger.

Pettitte, 4 2/3 (L, 4-3, 3.83), 2 R. 4 H, 3 walks and 5 K.

Shawn Kelley gave up a HR to Mike Morse (code) in the 6th. 3-1 Mariners.

Kelley 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 5 K.  5.71.

Logan 1 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 2.31.

Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 1.37.

The Yanks had their chances. They were 2 for 13 with RISP tonight.

I don’t know when the Yanks last successfully executed a squeeze play. In honor of one of the greatest bunters ever, Phil Rizzuto, I’ll pop open a bottle of champagne the next time they do so.

In the 5th, 1st and 3rd, one out and Gardner K’s, Nix pops up. One thing I’ve harped on FOR YEARS. Why no squeeze with Gardner up? He can beat OUT a bunt. Why no squeeze down 2-1?

They had 1st & 2nd, two out in the sixth and the rookie, Adams, bounced into a forceout.

They did cut it to 3-2 in the 7th (the final score) on a single by Ichiro, walk by Stewart and after two outs, a single by Cano.

They had Granderson on 2nd with one out in the 8th. Adams popped up and the slumping Ichiro struck out.

Gardner singled with one out in the 9th and stole 2nd and 3rd. With two out, Robbie bounced to SS to end the game.

Granderson had 3 hits tonight. Meanwhile, prospect Austin Romine has to start hitting. 1 for 17 so far in the majors this year.

Games 37 & 38. Yanks split a DH behind great pitching.

If I told you that Yankees’ pitchers would give up just one run in a DH, you might think it’d be CC and Kuroda, or Pettitte or Hughes… with Mo and D-Rob in relief.

but would you have thought of Phelps, Nuno and Warren? Probably not.

It’s too bad that the great pitching effort led to just a split of a (rare) traditional DH today rather than a sweep.

Nowadays, you see more of the day/night DHs, two separate admissions, two gates, more $$$$. But with two postponements in April, and both the Yankees and Indians needing to put these two games behind them and get on to their next destinations, it was an old-time 2 for the price of 1 DH.

In game one, David Phelps made just one mistake, and it cost him the game as the Yanks lost 1-0. He gave up a HR to Jason Kipnis in the first inning. Unfortunately, the Yanks only got four hits and three of those were infield singles.

Phelps (L, 1-2, 4.33) 6 2/3, 1 r, 4 H, 5 walks and 7 K.

Logan 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 2.61.

Claiborne 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. ERA still 0.00.

Corban Joseph made his MLB debut in this game.

Game 2: Vidal Nuno made his 1st MLB start (2nd MLB game) & got his 1st MLB win with five scoreless innings. He’s now pitched eight innings this year for the big club, ERA still 0.00. The Yanks won 7-0.

Nuno 1-0, 0.00   5 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 3 walks and 3K.

Adam Warren finished up the last four innings for his first save. D-Rob and Mo had pitched in four of the previous five games, so for Nuno and Warren to team up on a shutout was huge for saving the bullpen (so was Phelps in a losing effort in game one).

Warren 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 4 K. 1st MLB save, ERA 1.45.

In the first, Nix singled, and went to third on a Cano single and an error. Wells forceout made it 1-0 Yanks.

The Yanks got six in the seventh to break open a close game. Corban Joseph doubled for his first MLB hit. After Alberto Gonzalez popped up a bunt attempt, Austin Romine got his first MLB hit of the season to make it 2-0. Gardner walked and Nix singled to make it 3-0. After Cano struck out, Wells singled to make it 4-0. Overbay then doubled in two, 6-0. Ben Francisco reached on an error, Overbay scoring, for the final of 7-0.

The Yanks now are 24-14 on the season and come home to face Seattle.

The Yanks, between games, brought up Brett Marshall and sent down OF Brennan Boesch. It appears as if the Grandy Man is close to coming back.

Game 34. Overbay leads Yanks to 11-6 win.

I’ll defend Phil Hughes, who had four great outings before tonight but even though he got the win tonight, I won’t defend him tonight.

The Yanks did win, though, 11-6.

In the top of the second, the Yanks went up 4-0 on 2-Run HRs by Ichiro  (2) and Overbay (6).

Hughes then pissed me off. 4-0 lead. He gave up a walk and a single. He then struck out the next two batters and had an 0-2 count on the next hitter, the #9 hitter. A fat fastball becomes a 3-run HR.

Phil, I defend you but there is NO DEFENSE FOR THAT. NONE.

Overbay’s double in the 4th made in 5-3 Yanks. Phil gives up two in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up.

The Yanks come back with five in the top of the sixth to make it 10-5 Yanks. Overbay doubled in a run, and Chris Nelson singled in two. After a forceout, Gardner tripled in a run and Cano singled in another. 10-5 Yankees.

Whereupon Hughes gave up a HR to cut it to 10-6. Hey Phil. You blew a 4-0 lead and now you give up a HR when they restored your lead to 10-5. Unacceptable. You must protect leads.

Hughes got an ugly win. 5 2/3 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 2 walks and 3 K. 2 HR. He goes to 2-2, 4.43.

Shawn Kelley 2 1/3, 0 R, o H, 0 walks and 6 K. 6 K out of 7 outs and clearly his best outing as a Yankee. ERA to 6.14.

Boone Logan the scoreless 9th with 2 K. ERA to 2.70.

Gardner and Cano each with 2 H, RBI. Ichiro 3 h, 2 RBI.

Overbay with 4 hits, HR, 2 doubles, & 5 RBI tonight.

2 H, 2 RBI for Chris Nelson.

Somehow, this cast of no-names is getting it done.

Game 33. Yanks outlast rain, win 3-1.

Well, the Yanks may have CC to pitch in that DH on Monday at Cleveland. That is, if he can go on three days rest. It isn’t irrational to think that, since because of rain, he only went four innings today.

A two-hour rain delay kept CC to only four innings, but it enabled rookie Adam Warren to pick up his first MLB win as the Yanks won 3-1 over the Rockies this afternoon to go to 20-13 on the season.

The Yanks scored a run in the first on a Vernon Wells single. Nix had walked with one out and had moved up on a groundout.

CC gave the run right back in the bottom of the first on a walk, single and SF.

In the third, Robbie Cano singled for his 1500th hit. 1500 to go, Robbie!

The Yanks went ahead in the fourth on a double by Chris Nelson, a groundout and a SF by Chris Stewart. After the bottom of the fourth, the game was delayed.

CC 4 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 walk and 2 K. ERA to 3.23.

Adam Warren 1 2/3, 0 R, 0 H, 2 walks and 0 K. ERA to 1.84. First major league win.

Robbie hit a HR in the fifth, his 9th of the season, and that was all the scoring.

Girardi used five relievers after that rain delay knocked CC out of the game. After Warren,

Logan faced one batter. 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 3.00.

Preston Claiborne’s third MLB game. 2/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 0 K. ERA still 0.00.

David Robertson 1 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 3 K. 3.21.

… and you-know-who for the 9th. Save #13 of the season (13 for 13) and #621 of his career for the great Rivera.

The Yanks had six hits. Wells and Cano 2 H, 1 RBI each.

Game 30. Yanks lose 5-4. Nunez hurt.

Andy Pettitte struggled again in getting a no-decision, and Vernon Wells struck out with two on to end the game as the Yanks lost to Oakland 5-4 to drop their record to 18-12.

Pettitte only lasted five innings, throwing 100 pitches, just 57 for strikes. His line: 5 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 walks, 1 HBP and 2 K. ERA to 4.06.

Preston Claiborne made his MLB debut a good one. 6 up, 6 down.

Boone Logan (2-2, 3.12) took the loss. 1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 1 K. Shawn Kelley finished up, 1 IP, 0 R, 0 walks, 2 K, ERA to 7.94.

Andy gave up an unearned run in the third as Cano made a throwing error in trying to turn two. The Yanks got the run back on an RBI single by Cano.

But Luke Montz hit a solo shot in the fourth and Yoenis Cespedes added a 2-run HR in the fifth to put the A’s up 4-1.

The Yanks tied it in the sixth on an RBI double by Ichiro and a 2-run single by Overbay.

But in the 8th, Logan gave up a HR to Josh Donaldson which was the game-winner.

SS Eduardo Nunez was removed during the game with a strained rib cage. There are no plans to put him on the DL as of now. The Yanks had to play the end of the game with no backup infielder. Who’d guess they’d be missing Ramiro Pena (now with the Braves) about now?

I was trying to think, with all the injuries, who they could bring up if Nunez had to go on the DL. My guess would be Addison Maruszak, who is hitting .254-0-8 at AAA SWB and is 26 and a righty bat. He had 16 HR and 59 RBI for AA Trenton last year while hitting .276 and is versatile, 1B/3B/SS also a little OF, C and 2B, but I don’t know if he is on the 40-man roster or not. If not, the Yanks would have to make room and that could be troublesome. The other guy would be 33 year old career minor leaguer (no MLB games at all) Gil Velazquez, who in 63 at bats entering today is .206-0-2 for SWB. Ugh.

For those asking, Corban Joseph, Dave Adams and Ronnier Mustelier aren’t SS. So it looks like Nix at SS and Nelson at 3B for the time being.

Sheesh. The injuries just keep on coming.

Update: Cano was intentionally walked to face Wells in the bottom of the 9th. Putting the winning run on base, scared he might jack one for a GW HR = Respect.

Gm 27. Save #11 (season) 619 (career) for Mo as Yanks win 5-4.

He’s going out in style. Mariano Rivera led the majors with ten saves entering today’s action.

Make that eleven saves now and 619 for his career. 27 games into the season, eleven saves for the 43-year-old legend who is retiring after this season. You wonder, why retire? (Family, fatigue, other issues…) but really, if this is the way he is leaving, he is going out on top.

The Yanks got off to a 4-0 lead early. Ichiro led off the bottom of the first with a triple and scored when Nix singled. Ichiro had two hits tonight. Not that long ago, he was at .200 and now he is at .279.

In the second, Hafner, Francisco and Nunez all walked. Bases loaded, no one out and all they got was one run on a Stewart SF.

In the third, Cano HR’d (8) and so did Ben Francisco, who entered the game 3 for 29. It was not only Francisco’s first HR of the season, but also his first RBI.

But David Phelps, who pitched great for the first three innings, couldn’t hold the lead in the fourth and gave up four runs as the Astros tied the game at four.

Phelps, filling in for Ivan Nova while he’s on the DL, went 5 2/3, 4 R, 8 H, 1 walk & 5K. ERA to 5.56.

Boone Logan (W, 2-1, 2.35) went 1 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K.

The Yanks got the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Nunez doubled, went to third on a WP and Overbay walked. After Stewart struck out, Ichiro hit into a DP, but Overbay stopped in the basepath. It was a 4-3-6 DP (they went for Ichiro at first after Overbay stopped in the basepath, then threw to second where they had to tag Overbay). Meanwhile, it’s a timing play and the speedy Nunez crossed the plate before the tag was made on Overbay. Hence the run (in this case the winning run) counts. Good base running by Overbay.

D-Rob the 8th. 1-2-3 with 2 K. ERA to 3.86.

Enter Sandman. Single, DP and K. Mo’s 11th save of the year already and #619 adds to the all-time record that he holds. ERA to 1.59.

The Yanks improve to 17-10. They are off tomorrow and host Oakland this weekend.

Update: The Yankees acquired 2B/3B Chris Nelson from the Rockies for cash considerations or a player to be named later. He has played 139 games at 3B in his career and 54 at 2B (and 3 at SS). Last year for Colorado he hit .301-9-53, OPS+ 104. This year he was at .242-0-4, OPS+ 55 in this early going. For his career, .279-13-73 in 616 AB, OPS+ 87. 162 g. ave .279-10-56. He’s 27 and a righty bat. Not great, but he provides some depth and insurance while Youk is out and has a better bat than Nix.

Gm 24. Yanks finish sweep of Jays, 3-2.

Phil Hughes didn’t get the win, but he pitched six strong innings and the Yanks rode HRs by Brennan Boesch (2) and Lyle Overbay (3) to a 3-2 win over Toronto today, sweeping all four games of the series.

Hughes line: 6 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 1 walk and 9 K. ERA to 4.67. He’s settled down after two shaky starts to start the season. In his last three starts, he’s given up six runs in 20 innings. That’s an ERA of 2.70. That’s more like it.

Hughes faced last year’s NL CYA winner, R.A. Dickey. Boesch hit a HR in the 2nd to put the Yanks up 1-0.

Toronto got a couple cheapie hits off Hughes to tie the game up at one in the fourth, then Hughes gave up another run in the sixth, when apparently he was tiring. However with men at 2nd and 3rd, two out in the sixth, Hughes struck out Henry Blanco on his final pitch to limit the damage. It was Hughes’ 111th pitch of the game.

The bullpen took over. Boone Logan (W, 1-1, 2.84) pitched a scoreless 7th, while Lyle Overbay hit a 2-run HR in the bottom of the 7th to put the Yanks up 3-2. The Yanks only managed four hits in the game, but the HRs by Boesch and Overbay were enough.

Robertson (2.79) pitched a scoreless 8th, then it was time for Mo.

Funny. He isn’t pitching like a 43 year old about to retire. Mo did his usual.
1-2-3. He is now 9 for 9 in save opportunities this year. Save #617 of his remarkable career lowered his ERA to 1.80.

Meanwhile, the guys cast off by others and picked up by the Yanks continue to do the job. The Yanks are now 15-9. Did you expect that after the 1-4 start?

Gm 17. Yanks lose 8-4, drop to 10-7.

Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova should look over their shoulders. Chien Ming Wang had a good outing yesterday for SWB, and Vidal Nuno did today (see the minors report, to come).

Hughes is 0-2, 6.43 after three starts, and Nova is 1-1, 6.14. It’s still too early to make a move (after all, it’s just April 21) but not too early to suggest that they have to step it up or they could be replaced come mid-May.

Nova struggled today, going 5+, 4 R, 7 H, 4 walks, 5 K in getting a ND. Since his good rookie year of 2011 (16-4, 3.70), he’s gone 13-9, 5.11. Very Burnett-like. A.J. like also in that he has stuff, but the results have you scratching your head. You think it’s not the arm (like A.J.) but what’s between the ears.

Still, Nova had a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. I thought he threw enough pitches and would not have brought him out for the sixth. A walk and a double later, my fears were justified, that Nova should have been pulled. He threw 101 pitches in those 5+ innings.

But the bullpen didn’t help. Boone Logan faced one batter. RBI single.

0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks or K, ERA to 3.38.

Phelps came in and didn’t have it. He had a bad outing against Arizona on the 18th and another one today. 3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 walks and 3 K. I was surprised Girardi left him out there for more than one inning (it was obvious he didn’t have it) but I guess Girardi wanted to save his bullpen.

So Phelps will be unavailable for a while. Meanwhile, Adam Warren has pitched in just two games this year, and none since April 9th.

But Nova has to step it up. 13-9, 5.11 in his last 31 starts isn’t cutting it. If, say, Nuno (now 2-0, 1.54) or Wang (1 start, 5 1/3 scoreless) is doing well in four weeks and Nova continues to struggle, … then there are replacements.

That goes for the bullpen, too. Mark Montgomery (0-1, 1.12) at AAA entered today with 15 K in 8 IP at SWB. (He didn’t pitch today).

Chris Stewart had a solo HR for the Yanks in the 3rd. Bases loaded walks to Overbay and Nunez brought in two runs in the 5th and Gardner had a SF in the 6th.

Hopefully Nova does better next time. If not, …