Game 42. Yanks shut out Toronto, 5-0.

Hiroki Kuroda has been the Yanks’ ace so far this year and he was again tonight. He gave up a leadoff double and then no other hit until the seventh inning as the Yanks shut out Toronto 5-0.

In making predictions, a lot of people had the Blue Jays (what with their winter acquisitions) winning the AL East and the Yanks near the bottom. As we have just passed the quarter pole, check the standings.

Kuroda (W, 6-2, 1.99) went 8, 0 R, 2 H, 1 walk and 5 K. Preston Claiborne pitched the 9th, gave up 2 hits, but his MLB ERA remains at 0.00.

The hitting stars are people you wouldn’t expect. A 3B (David Adams) playing in his third MLB game and a 3rd-string rookie catcher (Austin Romine) who was 4 for 35 in his MLB career entering this game.

In the first, Brett Gardner tripled and scored on a groundout by Cano.

In the fifth, Adams and Romine singled, Gardner walked and Nix got a SF.

The Yanks broke it open in the seventh with three runs.  Adams doubled and Ichiro put down a beauty of a bunt single. Romine doubled home a run, Gardner singled in another and Nix closed out the scoring with another SF.

Nix had a strange line. Two walks and 2 sac flies. 0 for 0 with 2 RBI.

Meanwhile, Ben Francisco batted fifth again tonight. WHY? Please, oh please DFA him. 5 for 44 this season. .114.

The Yanks put Pettitte on the 15-day DL and recalled Vidal Nuno.

Stewart should miss just a few days.

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 32. Yanks win 3-2.

The Yanks won a game in which the starting pitcher hit 8th and Vernon Wells had to play the bottom of the 9th at third base.

Such is life with a depleted lineup.

Wells hit a 2-run HR in the first (7), but David Phelps gave up a 2-run HR to Todd Helton (future HOF?) in the second. So it remained until the 9th.

Phelps went 6, 2 R, 3 H, 1 walk and 4 K. ERA to 5.02. Yes, he batted 8th (he never had a MLB AB) and C Austin Romine batted 9th tonight (Romine is now 3 for 25 in his MLB career).

Preston Claiborne had another good outing in his 2nd MLB game with another scoreless inning. (0.00 in 3 IP).

Robertson the 8th, scoreless.  (W. 2-0, 3.55).

In the 9th, Wells singled, stole 2nd and Overbay and Nix walked. With two out and the bases loaded, Boesch got an infield hit for the game-winner.

Because of the various moves made, PH, etc., Wells had to play 3B in the bottom of the 9th and he made a nice play for an out. He never played 3B in the majors before.

Mo got save #12 on the season, #620 of his career to close it out. ERA to 2.03.

Ivan Nova pitched in extended spring training today, could go Monday in the DH vs. Cleveland, but Girardi said Nova was shaky today.

The minors today.

AAA: Austin Romine was called up from SWB to replace Cervelli on the Yanks’ roster when Cervelli broke his hand tonight. He went 0 for 1 in this game before getting the notification to report to NY ASAP. Romine was 14 for 42, .333-1-4 for SWB. The HR was his only XBH.

SWB lost 3-2. Brett Marshall 2 R, 1 ER in 5 1/3. 5 walks, 7 K. SS Addison Maruszak with 2 H, RBI.

AA: Trenton won 6-3. Nik Turley 3 R in 5 IP. Jose Ramirez 4 IP of scoreless relief with 6 K. This was his first outing of the season. C J.R. Murphy 3 h, 2 doubles, RBI (.323). 1B Kyle Roller 2 RBI (.337). 3B Casey Stevenson 2 H, RBI (.289).

High A: Tampa lost 9-4. Some news: CF Mason Williams was hit with a DUI. He was under the limit, (.06, the limit .08) but failed a field sobriety test. 2B Rob Refsnyder HR, 2 RBI (.344).

Low A: Charleston 5-1 winners. 3B Dante Bichette Jr., 2 H, 2 RBI.

Gm 22. Costly victory for Yanks, 6-4.

The Yanks won 6-4 tonight, but it was a costly victory.

On the very first batter of the game, Francisco Cervelli took a foul off his hand. X-rays revealed a broken hand and he’ll be out six weeks. Figure on (with rehab) 8 weeks, meaning the end of June. Austin Romine was called up from SWB to replace Cervelli.

Cervelli has to be heartbroken. He was off to a good start, seemed to finally be the #1 catcher, and had 3 HR already. I expected 3 HR all year from him, not 3 in the first 21 games of the season.

Not only that, Ivan Nova had to leave after just 2+ innings due to an elbow injury. He’ll have an MRI tomorrow. The Yanks can 1) move Phelps (more on him in a bit) into the rotation and bring up someone or 2) leave Phelps where he is in long relief and bring up Wang or Vidal Nuno. Me, I’d leave Phelps where he is and bring up Nuno, who was great in S.T., won the best rookie in camp award and who has started out 2-0, 1.54 in 4 starts this year at AAA (23 1/3 IP, 26 K, just 2 walks. Besides, having three lefties in the rotation [CC, Andy and Nuno] doesn’t seem too bad).

Juan Encarnacion hit two HR off the Yanks tonight, one in the 2nd off Nova. The Yanks tied it in the bottom of the inning on a bases loaded forceout by Nunez, who is down to .164.

Nova gave up a HBP and a single to start the third, then was pulled because of his injury. Phelps (W, 1-1, 5.29) replaced Nova and gave up a single for a run, but he was great tonight.

Nova 2+ IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 walks and 2 K, ERA to (ugh) 6.48. You don’t want anyone to get hurt, but, and I hate to say this, maybe this can be a blessing in disguise. I mean, 6.48 is 6.48.

Phelps went 4, 1 R, 2 H, 2 walks and NINE strikeouts. His only blemishes were the single that let in Nova’s run (inherited) and giving up Encarnacion’s 2nd HR of the game to cut the Yanks lead to 4-3.

Meanwhile, after the single that Phelps gave up made it 2-1, the Yanks tied it in the bottom of the third on a Vernon Wells SF.

The Yanks went up 4-2 in the fifth on an RBI triple by Lyle Overbay, then Overbay scored on a WP. Toronto is killing itself defensively so far this season. Consider this. The Yanks won 6-4 tonight. One Yankees run scored on a WP. Another on a PB.

Encarnacion’s 2nd HR of the game made it 4-3 in the sixth, but Toronto gave the Yanks a gift run in the 7th. Cano doubled, was moved to third by Wells and scored on that PB I mentioned. Give Wells credit for going the other way to advance Cano to third. 5-3 Yanks.

Joe went formula for the last 3 innings. Joba D-Rob and Mo.

Joba pitched a scoreless 7th.  1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K.  4.32.

Juan Batista homered off  D-Rob (1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K, 3.12)  in the 8th to cut it to 5-4, but Brett Gardner HR’d (3) in the bottom of the 8th to put the Yanks up 6-4.

Can you believe Brett the Jet has 3 HR? (or that Cervelli has 3?)

Save #8 on the season and #616 of his career wasn’t easy. Toronto loaded the bases on Mo before he got a K for the final out.  1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 2.00.

The minors today. Wang good again.

AAA: 4-1 loss. Wang pitched well again. Between him and Nuno, Nova better watch out. Wang went 6 2/3, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 w and 2 K. HR by C Austin Romine for the Railriders’ only run. 3B Dave Adams 2 H (.333).

AA and High A: both off.

Low A:  Charleston lost 7-0, getting just 5 hits. SS Cito Culver had two of those hits.

The minors today.

The Yanks were off.

No stats yet for any Major or Minor league games: Too early.

AAA: SWB won 10-1. Vidal Nuno six shutout innings. 4 H, 1 walk and 8 K. 2B Corban Joseph 3H, HR, 2 RBI. CF Zoilo Almonte 4 for 4, HR, 3 RBI. C Austin Romine 3 for 3. 2 H for 3B Dave Adams. 1B Dan Johnson 2 RBI.

AA: Trenton won 5-3. Nik Turley 3 R, 2 ER in 4 IP. Aaron Dott, Branden Pinder and Tommy Kahnle teamed up for five scoreless innings of relief. LF Neil Medchill double, HR, 2 RBI. 2 H, RBI for 3B Rob Segedin.

Low A: Tampa lost 3-1. Bryan Mitchell 2 R, both unearned, in 5 IP. 2 H for CF Mason Williams.

Low  A: Charleston won 12-2. Cesar Vargas 2 R in 5 1/3. CF Taylor Dugas solo HR. 2 H, 2 RBI each for RF Yeicok Calderon and C Pete O’Brien. 2 H 3RBI for DH Kelvin De Leon.

The minors today.

AAA: Tough loss for SWB tonight, 2-1. Vidal Nuno continued his strong pitching, going 7, 1 R, 3 H. Mark Montgomery gave up a run in the top of the 9th to lose it. SWB got just 6  hits tonight (2 by C Austin Romine) and struck out 12x.

AA: Trenton won 5-1. Caleb Cotham 5 IP, 1 R. Jeremy Bleich 3 scoreless innings of relief. C J.R. Murphy 3 hits, 3B Casey Stevenson 4 for 4, 3 RBI.

High A: Tampa won 4-2. Scottie Allen 6 IP, 1 R. Double, HR, 3 RBI DH Carmen Angelini.

Low A: Charleston won 10-7. Dan Camarena 6 R, 5 ER in 4 IP. The BP, Ben Paullus, Dietrich Enns and Brett Gerritse, combined for 1 R, unearned, in 5 IP, with 10 K. SS Cito Culver 2 HR, 3 RBI. DH Yeicok Calderon HR, 3 H, 2 RBI. 2B Rob Refsnyder, 2 H, RBI. RF Kelvin De Leon 2 H, RBI.

The Minors today

AAA: SWB got their first win after 4 losses with a 4-2 win today. Chris Bootcheck with 5 scoreless IP. 2 H, HR, 2 RBI for CF Melky Mesa. C Austin Romine 2 H, 2 RBI for RF Thomas Neal.

AA: Trenton lost 15-7. Matt Tracy 5 R in just 1/3 IP. Branden Pinder 4 R in just 1/3 IP. DH Tyler Austin Double, HR, 2 RBI. 2 H, HR, 2 RBI SS Walt Ibarra.

High A Tampa off.

Low A Charleston won 9-4. Jose Campos 4 R in 3 IP. Evan Rutckyj (don’t ask me to pronounce it) 5 scoreless innings of relief. 3B Dante Bichette, Jr. grand slam and 5 RBI. 2 H, HR, 2 RBI C Pete O’Brien. SS Cito Culver 2 h, CF Taylor Dugas 2 H, and  2B Rob Refsnyder 3 hits.

Friday’s minors, Trenton sloppy (6 E, 17K)

AAA: SWB lost 9-4. Dellin Betances gave up 2 R in 4 IP. Ryan Pope gave up 1 R in 3 IP, but Josh Romanski gave up 5 runs in his 1 inning of relief. C Austin Romine had 2 hits and RF Thomas Neal drove in 3 runs.

AA: Trenton lost 7-4. Zach Nuding gave up 7 R—all unearned—in 3 2/3 IP. Jeremy Bleich and Aaron Dott combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Trenton made six errors in the game and struck out 17 times. Neil Medchill had a 2-R HR.

High A: Tampa won 9-2. Corey Black 2 R in 5 IP. Dan Mahoney and Manuel Barreda combined for four shutout innings of relief (2 each). 2B Angelo Gumbs and LF Ben Gamel each had 2 H and 3 RBI. C Gary Sanchez 3 H, 1 RBI, 3B Zach Wilson 3 H.

Low A: Charleston lost 4-2. Cesar Vargas gave up 0 R on 2 H in 5 IP, but his reliever, Brett Gerritse, gave up 4 R, 3 ER, in 1 IP. The Riverdogs struck out 13x. Cito Culver 2 hits.