I did something different for tonight and listened to the game on the radio. Things started off swimmingly when John Sterling called Michael Pineda “Pinada” to lead us off. Thankfully it was not a harbinger of anything awful happening for the starter. In fact, Pineda had a nice game.
Big Mike had a somewhat clean start, getting the first three batters out, but he threw 21 pitches.
The Yankees helped his cause by scoring a run in the bottom half of the frame after going 23 straight games without a first inning run. Carlos Beltran hit a sac fly to score Brett Gardner, who hit a triple to lead off the game.
Orioles starter Yovani Gallardo settled down after his slightly bumpy first, tossed a seven-pitch third, and had retired eight straight batters before giving up a home run to Mark Teixeira.
As for Pineda, he ran into trouble twice, but wiggled his way out. In the top of the fourth, Pineda had runners on second and third with one out, and escaped with two punchouts. Then, in the top of the sixth, Mark Trumbo led off the inning with a double, and after he advanced to third on a Pedro Alvarez fly out, Larry Rothschild made a visit to the mound. I don’t know what he said, but whatever it was, it worked. Pineda finished strong and struck out J.J. Hardy and Nolan Reimold to end his night. His final line: 6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 113 pitches, 70 strikes.
In the bottom of the sixth, Gallardo gave up two singles and walk to load the bases for Teixeira and he proceeded to walk Teixeira to score Jacoby Ellsbury and put the Yankees up 3-0. It was Teixeira’s 600th RBI as a Yankee. Gallardo settled down and escaped the jam, but would allow another runner to cross in the eighth thanks to a Ronald Torreyes triple and a sacrifice fly by Gardner.
New York’s fifth and final run came thanks to a solo home run by Carlos Beltran.
Dellin Betances pitched the seventh and only threw 11 pitches, Nick Goody came in for the bottom of the eighth and set Schoop, Jones and Trumbo down in order, and Chasen Shreve pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth. The Yankees won their third straight over the Orioles and fourth overall. They are two games over .500 for only the second time this season.
The Play: Tex message makes it 2-0 (WPA .108)
Notes
—Per Jeff Quagliata of the YES Network: Yankee starters last four games: 1.16 ERA, .190 BAA in 23.1 IP
—Chase Headley was excused from the game due to personal reasons and wasn’t at the Stadium.
—Orioles Manager Buck Showalter and third baseman Manny Machado are both suffering from the flu and bench coach John Russell filled in for Showalter. Chris Davis is still recovering from the same stomach bug and sat out for the second straight night. Davis first got sick on the team’s flight from Tampa to New York.
—The Yankees are now 4-0 since A-Rod changed his at bat music to “Panda” by Desiigner.
The Highlight: Beltran hits his 20th home run of the season
Up Next:
The Yankees and Orioles wrap up their four-game series Thursday afternoon at 1:05 p.m.. Chris Tillman (13-2, 3.29 ERA) will be facing off against CC Sabathia (5-7, 3.94 ERA).
Photo Credit: Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports