A few years ago, it was an event anytime CC Sabathia and Felix Hernandez would square off with one another. Sunday the pair of hurlers delivered without much fanfare as each allowed one run over six innings before giving way to the bullpen. Hernandez was one out away from shutting out the Yankees through six innings, but allowed a single to Carlos Beltran with runners on first and third and two outs in the sixth to tie the game. Two innings later the Yankees would strike again and once again it would come with two outs. Former Mariners closer Fernando Rodney was trying to close out the eighth inning with the score still tied, but Mark Teixeira had other ideas and sent a fastball out to the right field seats. Andrew Miller closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning earning his 20th save and preserving the one-run victory.
Key Moment: Sabathia got into some trouble in the top of the fifth inning. After allowing back-to-back singles to leadoff the inning, the Mariners had catcher Mike Zunino sacrifice bunt. Then Austin Jackson singled to plate the Mariners only run, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead and runners still at the corners with only one out. With the heart of the Mariners lineup due up, it was time for Sabathia to dig deep and he did exactly that striking out Kyle Seager and Robinson Cano to strand the runners. The Mariners would go on to tally just two hits over the rest of the game.
Up Next: The Yankees have a home off day Monday before the Baltimore Orioles come to town Tuesday. It’ll be Wei-Yin Chen (4-5, 2.78 ERA) against Nathan Eovaldi (9-2, 4.50 ERA) as the probable starters in the Bronx for game one of the series.
(Photo: ANthony Gruppuso-USA Today Sports)