Ivan Nova, and the Yankees’ offense, haven’t come crashing back down to earth just yet.
Nova cruised through six, running into a bit of trouble in the seventh, and finished with a quality start. He allowed six hits and three runs over 6 1/3, and behind a five-run fifth, earned the win in a 6-3 final.
With No-Runs DMC fresh, the game was pretty much over when Betances entered in the seventh.
The Yankees are back to .500, 60 games in.
The Play: Beltran doubles in two (+.182 WPA)
Beltran took a 1-0 pitch into the right field corner to put the Yankees up for good in this one. This came smack-dab in the middle of the Yankees’ big five-run fifth, which began with a Chris Parmelee RBI single and continued with an A-Rod sac fly and a Brian McCann RBI single.
He finished 1-for-3 with a run and two RBIs, and is making a case for the AL All-Star team.
Notes
— Chris Parmelee stretched out into a full split to catch a throw from Didi Gregorius and record the final out of the top of the seventh inning, and was very hurt afterward. He left the game with an injured hamstring, and was replaced by Rob Refsnyder.
— The Yankees also participated in the 2016 MLB draft on this Thursday, taking 17-year-old outfielder Blake Rutherford with the 18th selection.
–Brett Gardner is still hitting well; the centerfielder went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
— John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman were inducted into the N.Y. Broadcasters Hall of Fame before the game
The Quote
“No, I’ve never seen anything like that,” — Starlin Castro, on a team losing its fourth first baseman due to injury
The Highlight: A-Rod slides in safely with an RBI double
Up Next
The Yankees will stick around in New York to begin a three-game set with the Tigers on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. ET. CC Sabathia (3-4, 2.58) will aim to continue his stellar start to the season against the grizzled Mike Pelfrey (1-5, 4.76). This one will be televised on PIX 11, so you can watch it if you’ve got Comcast. Clear your schedule.
Photo: Adam Hunger/USA Today Sports; Videos: MLBAM