Game Two: Blue Jays 4 Yanks 1

MLB.com Recap:

TORONTO — Apparently all it took for the Blue Jays to rediscover their untapped power at the plate was a visit from the Yankees.

Toronto continued its recent upswing in production with two more home runs, which brought the two-day total to six in a mini sweep of New York at Rogers Centre.

For the second consecutive game, Jose Bautista and J.P. Arencibia came through with a pair of homers to lead the Blue Jays to a 4-1 victory on Thursday night in front of 31,266 fans.

“The one thing that Jose continues to do, despite a slow start relative for him, is that he didn’t waver from his routine,” said Blue Jays manager John Farrell, who believes the recent uptick in success is due to increased discipline at the plate.

“I think getting back to addressing pitches in the strike zone allows him to stay relaxed and confident, and when he hit a couple of balls out of the ballpark it was an ability for him to take a little bit of a deep breath, relax a bit, and let his true abilities come out.”

Those abilities have been on full display during the past week. Bautista now has five home runs in his past seven games and a total of seven for the month of May.

Bautista’s 10th of the season came on a two-run shot in the bottom of the third inning against New York starter Phil Hughes. Bautista worked the count full before fouling off a pair of pitches and then sending a cut fastball over the wall in left field.

With that shot, the reigning Major League home run king in back-to-back seasons moved past Jose Cruz Jr. for ninth place on the club’s all-time home run list, with 123, and he is now within two of Fred McGriff for the No. 8 spot.

“I felt like he had seen a lot of fastballs and thought it was a good pitch to throw him,” said Hughes, who was charged with two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. “But it was kind of spinning over the plate, not down and away where I would have liked to have it.”…Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

Game One: Blue Jays 8 Yanks 1

MLB.com Recap:

TORONTO — The Blue Jays responded to a tumultuous 24 hours with one of their best all-around games of the season.

The four-game suspension of third baseman Brett Lawrie for his actions during an argument with home-plate umpire Bill Miller on Tuesday seemed like a thing of the past by the time first pitch on Wednesday rolled around. If anything, it rallied the players behind a common goal.

The Blue Jays took out all of their leftover aggression at the plate, slugging four home runs to snap a three-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the Yankees at Rogers Centre.

“They have shown on repeated occasions that no matter what has taken place the day before, they have been able to separate themselves from that and put behind them the events of the day previous,” said Blue Jays manager John Farrell, who was informed of Lawrie’s suspension two hours before first pitch. “They came out very focused, with a lot of energy and a lot of good at-bats. It wasn’t a distraction, by any means.”

Lawrie, who is appealing Major League Baseball’s ruling, did play and apologized to Miller prior to the game, but the suspension ultimately became a mere footnote in an all-out offensive attack.

The production provided plenty of run support for No. 4 hurler Kyle Drabek, who pitched with a lead from the second inning on. Drabek surrendered one run on three hits while walking four and striking out five. He threw 60 of his 113 pitches for strikes and matched the second-longest outing of his career.

J.P. Arencibia started the onslaught of offense in the bottom of the second inning off New York starter Hiroki Kuroda. Arencibia, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, sent a 3-1 slider over the wall in left-center field for his fourth home run of the season, giving Toronto an early 2-0 lead.

Edwin Encarnacion broke the game wide open the following frame with a three-run shot to straightaway center. The home run was the 13th of the season for Toronto’s designated hitter, who entered the game second in the American League in RBIs (31), third in extra-base hits (21) and fourth in total bases (83).

Jose Bautista got into the action in the fifth with another homer off Kuroda. Bautista’s ninth home run of the season went into the second deck in left field and marked his fourth long ball in the past six games. Toronto’s No. 3 hitter now has 122 career home runs in a Blue Jays uniform, moving into a tie with Jose Cruz Jr. for ninth on the club’s all-time list.

“When he addresses strikes and when he doesn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone, [he's at his most dangerous],” Farrell said when asked the key to Bautista’s recent resurgence. “He laid off a number of borderline pitches tonight to get into favorable counts, and when he got his pitch, he didn’t miss it. He just looks more [on] time, with a better load, a better rhythm overall. He’s putting good swings on the ball right now.”

Kuroda was removed from the game after that at-bat, having surrendered seven runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out six. It was the most home runs Kuroda has allowed this season and the highest total of runs he has surrendered since July 28, 2008.

“I think all the home run balls I threw stayed up; that’s what happened,” Kuroda said through an interpreter.

“I’m hoping I can be more consistent than I am right now, but unfortunately, it’s not the way it’s going right now. But it will come.”

Second baseman Kelly Johnson ensured the Blue Jays weren’t finished there. Johnson greeted reliever Clay Rapada in the seventh with a solo homer of his own, the veteran’s eighth of the season and the 100th of his seven-year career.

The final tally meant the Blue Jays scored eight or more runs for the fifth time this season, and the output represented their largest total since May 2 against Texas.

“The slow start was kind of tough to dig yourself out of,” said Arencibia, who struggled early but is now hitting .324 with three homers and 14 RBIs in his past 21 games. “The biggest thing was just to keep battling, know and trust in my abilities. I’m not worried about what I do at the plate I’m worried about behind the plate.”….Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

The Rays are in a three-game winning streak now and because of the Orioles-Yankees split, find themselves tied in first. I have a strong feeling that it will be the Yanks, Rays and Orioles battling all year long and the Rays look the most prepared because of their proven pitching. The have another two-game series coming up at Toronto, let’s hope they don’t get swept into 5th place. Wake up Yanks!

Game Two: Orioles 5 Yanks 2

MLB.com  Recap:

BALTIMORE — It wasn’t his Major League debut or first career win. Heck, it wasn’t even Orioles newcomer Wei-Yin Chen’s first start against the Yankees. What Tuesday’s start was, though, was a phenomenally impressive seven-inning performance in which Chen flummoxed a lethal New York lineup. It was a notable start that ended with one of the most satisfying Orioles wins this season and the 26-year-old lefty — again — wiping the remnants of a shaving-cream pie off his face.

The Orioles — who remain in a tie for first place in the American League East with the Rays — could get used to this kind of celebration, and Chen looks like a pro in handling the role of recurring star. Chen’s performance — he held New York scoreless until Curtis Granderson’s seventh-inning homer — helped carry the Orioles to a 5-2 victory, their first in five games against the Yankees at Camden Yards this year.

“It all started with Chen shutting down that ridiculous lineup,” said center fielder Adam Jones, who got the Orioles’ scoring started with a solo homer off CC Sabathia in the second inning. “Someone tweeted at me yesterday, ‘That’s a Confederate Army of home run hitters.’ So he halted that lineup.”

And Chen did so in the same quiet fashion that is quickly becoming the norm for him. Chen, signed to a three-year deal out of Japan this past offseason, doesn’t throw particularly hard, but he has made a living off pinpoint control. The lefty took the mound in the seventh having retired 10 consecutive Yankees before Robinson Cano’s leadoff double, and he exiting the 105-pitch outing with just four hits allowed.

How, exactly did Chen do it?

“He’s sneaky,” Yankees captain Derek Jeter said of Chen, who improved to 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his first four home starts. “It’s not like he’s throwing changeups, like [Jamie] Moyer. He gets it up there, 91, 92 [mph]. He hits his spots. He knows how to pitch.

“It’s a little unfair to say he’s not overpowering, because he mixes in his offspeed stuff and his fastball gets up there pretty good. He knows what he’s doing.”….Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

Game One: Yanks 8  Orioles 5

MLB.com Recap:

BALTIMORE — The Yankees have come to accept Mark Teixeira’s slow starts as par for the course, but the slumping switch-hitter delivered a big blow at a most opportune time.

Teixeira blasted a two-run homer in the seventh inning to put his club ahead and the Yankees fought through a rash of injuries to make it hold up, posting an 8-5 victory over the Orioles on Monday at Camden Yards.

“Obviously, I haven’t been getting the results I want,” Teixeira said. “I’ve just been battling, and tonight was one of those nights where I got to see some results. It was a big win for us here.”

Rookie David Phelps (1-1) logged his first Major League victory by recording three outs, having entered in the sixth inning ahead of Teixeira’s deciding blast off losing pitcher Luis Ayala (1-1), but the win may have come at a heavy cost for the Yankees.

Rafael Soriano picked up his second save in place of David Robertson, who is unavailable with a left ribcage injury. Starter Ivan Nova was also forced to leave in the sixth with a sprain and bruise of his right ankle, and though X-rays were negative, Nova’s next start is in jeopardy.

“It feels really bad right now,” Nova said. “It’s hurting a little bit. Tomorrow will be better. … I don’t want to miss any of my starts. I hope I can feel better and pitch next time.”

Additionally, reliever Clay Rapada had to be helped into the visitors’ clubhouse, as he was overwhelmed by a viral infection. Raul Ibanez left the game after being drilled on the right elbow by a Dana Eveland pitch in the ninth inning, leading manager Joe Girardi to remark that his team “barely” got through the evening.

“As I’ve said before, it gives an opportunity to shine,” Girardi said. “Maybe guys’ roles have to increase a little bit, and we’ve asked them to do that.”

Teixeira heard boos as he dug in for his plate appearance against Ayala in the seventh. They were probably from Orioles fans — the Maryland product hasn’t been very popular in these parts since snubbing Baltimore as a free agent before the 2009 season — but lately he has been hearing his share of Bronx cheers as well.

Teixeira started the long road back with his line-drive blast over the scoreboard in right field, highlighting a contest that also saw Curtis Granderson hit his team-leading 12th homer as New York handed Jason Hammel his roughest outing of the year.

“Yesterday I was the goat; today you get to be the hero,” Teixeira said. “That’s baseball. That’s why you play every night. You’re going to be the goat a lot more than you’re going to be the hero.

“That’s a very good team over there. Hammel’s a very good pitcher, so we have some positive things to take away from tonight.”

The Yankees got to Hammel for five runs (four earned) in five innings. Nick Swisher slugged a two-run double in the third, and after Granderson gave New York a briefly held lead in the fifth, Ibanez delivered a hard-hit ball with the bases loaded in the sixth that ate up first baseman Chris Davis for an error as two runs scored.

“It’s frustrating any time you make mistakes, especially ones you can really capitalize on,” Davis said.

The outburst was tempered, however, by the injury to Nova, who turned his ankle and limped off the field after fielding a Wilson Betemit grounder…….Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

Game Three: Mariners 6 Yanks 2

Inconsistency is the appropriate word to describe the Yankee offense. Andy Pettitte is back and he was very effective for one who had retired and had to begin again from single A baseball. He pitched 6.1 innings, scattered 7 hits but gave up 2 two-run homers that killed him. Well, mainly because the Yankee offense could not deliver when they had the chance. Again, another bench player, Chavez provided the 2 RBI for the Yanks. The Yanks need to sweep a series every now and then. A big three game sweep against the Orioles and we will be in First place. Let’s go Yanks!!

MLB.com Recap:

NEW YORK — The Yankees threw a welcome-back party for Andy Pettitte on Sunday, but Justin Smoak and Casper Wells had other ideas as they spoiled the reunion with two-run home runs in Seattle’s 6-2 victory.

And while all the buzz in the Bronx was about Pettitte’s return after a two-year absence, Seattle’s own veteran, Kevin Millwood, wound up stealing the old-timers’ show with seven innings of one-run ball for his first victory for the Mariners.

“It was almost like a throwback ’99 game — Pettitte vs. Millwood,” said Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. “But Kevin knows how to pitch. He doesn’t throw too many balls straight. He works around the strike zone. We really couldn’t get too much going.”

Millwood, 37, allowed just three hits in helping the Mariners snap an eight-game road losing streak. It was his 164th career win, ninth on the Major League’s active list, and first against the Yankees since 2009.

“He’s pitched a lot better than his numbers indicated,” said Mariners manager Eric Wedge after Millwood improved to 1-4 with a 5.09 ERA. “He’s had a few bad innings, but he was outstanding today.”

Yet even Millwood was talking about Pettitte after the 39-year-old pitched his first game in the Majors since temporarily retiring after the 2010 season.

“I was watching him. I think everybody was kind of curious,” said Millwood. “But it was pretty much what everybody expected. He’s pretty much the same guy he was two years ago. He’s going to get a lot of people out and win a lot of ballgames. It’s just Andy Pettitte. It’s who he is.”

Pettitte competed fairly well with four runs allowed on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings, but the Mariners got to him with home runs by Smoak in the fourth and Wells in the sixth.

Smoak’s line shot over the left-field wall was his fourth homer of the season and first extra-base hit since a home run in Detroit on April 26.

It was also Smoak’s first home run of the season batting right-handed, where he was hitting .097 coming into the game. The blast came after catcher Jesus Montero walked with two outs and was the first hit of the game off Pettitte…..Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

Game Two: Yanks 6 Mariners 2

Mlb.com Recap:

NEW YORK — As they prepare to welcome back a fixture to their rotation, the Yankees may be discovering that their current starters can hold their own quite well.

Phil Hughes became the latest Yankees starter to impress on the team’s homestand, pitching 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a 6-2 win over Seattle on Saturday. When Andy Pettitte takes the mound Sunday in his first start since 2010, he will be in position to finish off a sweep of the Mariners.

After appearing to be in danger of heading to the bullpen to make room for Pettitte, Hughes has responded with back-to-back strong starts after starting the season 1-4. Saturday’s win came on the heels of a 6 2/3-innng outing in Kansas City in which Hughes allowed three runs and picked up the win.

“I don’t think, really, there’s been a turning point,” Hughes (3-4) said. “It’s been a process overall to get myself right. Sometimes you can hang on to momentum and stuff like that when you’re pitching well. It’s hard to get any worse than the beginning of the year.”

After Hughes’ outing, Yankees starters are 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA through the first five games of the homestand. The team’s only blemish in the Bronx this week came when David Robertson blew a save and wasted a 1-0 ninth-inning lead in Wednesday night’s loss to the Rays.

“It was a good day,” Hughes said. “I probably didn’t have my best fastball or my best curveball, but my changeup really allowed me to get out of some jams there and make some good pitches when I was behind in counts.”

Hughes started the game with a nine-pitch first inning and needed only 35 pitches to get through the first three frames. He ran into some trouble in the fourth, when he allowed a one-out single to Ichiro Suzuki and then walked former Yankee Jesus Montero. But he recovered to get a popout and a strikeout and strand both in a 28-pitch inning.

“Him and Russell did a really good job of mixing his curveball and his changeup in,” manager Joe Girardi said of Hughes and catcher Russell Martin. “Fastball inside to hitters, moving it around, I thought they did a really good job.”

Seattle entered the game ranked 29th in the Major Leagues with a .289 team on-base percentage. Hughes took advantage, striking out four and walking one before a pair of two-out singles chased him from the game in the eighth inning. Saturday’s start marked only the third time since the start of the 2010 season that Hughes had recorded an out in the eighth inning…….Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

Beating Seattle is expected from the Yanks but with so-called “King Felix” Hernandez on the mound it has been a struggle for a few years. Tonight it was not to be although Hernandez kept it close for 6 innings and until Raul Ibanez tagged him with a big three-run homer. That put the Yankees up 4-2 and they never looked back. Hernandez had not lost in the new Yankee stadium until tonight. Kuroda was alright but not too impressive as his numbers seem to show. He pitched 7 full innings, giving up 6 hits and only 2 earned runs. Like I mentioned, the numbers look decent but in the top of the 5th the Mariners had the bases loaded and only one out. Kuroda was able to make some key pitches too slide out of any damage at all. I’m satisfied with his performance and with how the Yanks offense hit the ball also. Cano is on a tear now and the Ibanez has definitely been a great acquisition until now. Andruw Jones added to the mix and made it easier for the bullpen with his own two-run blast in the 8th. Yanks win but need to sweep.

MLB.com recap:

NEW YORK — The Yankees would love to take their recent success against upper-echelon talent as a sign that their lineup is finally clicking into place. At the very least, it breeds confidence they can beat some of the best in the league.

One night after the Bombers knocked around the Rays’ David Price, Raul Ibanez’s three-run homer helped power an 11-hit assault on Felix Hernandez as the Yankees toppled the Mariners, 6-2, on Friday at Yankee Stadium.

“I think that things are definitely coming around offensively; guys are swinging the bats well,” said Ibanez, whose sixth-inning blast off Hernandez put New York in command. “We’ve been having some good swings together as a group.”

Robinson Cano contributed four hits, including a first-inning RBI single, to back Hiroki Kuroda’s solid effort as the Yankees posted their fourth win in the last five games. Andruw Jones joined the party late with a pinch-hit two-run homer in the eighth off Steve Delabar.

The suddenly red-hot Cano owns 12 hits in his last 20 at-bats (.600), with eight RBIs in his last five games, a streak sparked by his grand slam on Sunday in Kansas City.

“Every time I go up there, I just go positive and say in my mind to get a hit,” Cano said. “Here, it’s all about winning. I just always want to feel good and win a game.”

Four relievers finished the job out of New York’s bullpen, including David Robertson, who logged two outs in a non-save situation to bounce back from Wednesday’s blown save against the Rays.

“It’s always good to get back out there after you’ve struggled your last outing, whether you’re a pitcher or a hitter,” manager Joe Girardi said.

Kuroda limited the Mariners to a pair of solo homers over seven innings, one hit by Jesus Montero, the power-hitting prospect dealt to Seattle by the Yankees in a four-player trade earlier this year.

Montero’s sixth-inning laser was tossed back onto the field from the right-field seats, but otherwise the catcher was generally received with indifference by the Yankee Stadium crowd following a January blockbuster deal anchored by now-injured pitcher Michael Pineda.

“It looked like he hit a decent pitch there and drove it the other way,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “When you’re in this ballpark, you’re going to benefit from that.”….Read More  

Box Score and Highlights:

Sabathia was his usual “stopper” again and when the Yanks needed it the most. He pitched brilliantly after giving up 3 hits and two unearned runs with the help of the Yankee defense. He settled down into a devastating groove and halted any more scoring from the Rays. He pitched 8 full innings, scattering 7 hits, 0 earned runs and struckout 10 (Video):

The Yanks scoring came from a Granderson solo shot, a Cano two run blast and key hits from Stewart and Jones. Seattle will be in town for the weekend, we need a sweep!

MLB.com Recap:

NEW YORK — Somehow, it has seemed to work out that when the Yankees desperately need a deep effort out of their starting pitcher, CC Sabathia’s turn to take the ball happens to be on the calendar.

Sabathia prides himself on giving the bullpen a break, and the Yankees were certainly appreciative of that on Thursday. The ace struck out a season-high 10 over eight strong innings as New York defeated the Rays, 5-3, at Yankee Stadium.

“I’m always trying to go out and pitch well and get deep in the game,” said Sabathia, who improved to 5-0 by winning his fifth consecutive start. “This has been a pretty good stretch for me. I hope I just keep going out and pitching the same way.”

Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson homered to support Sabathia, who outdueled David Price (5-2) for the first time in his career in a battle of top-tier lefties. Rafael Soriano pitched a one-run ninth for his first save of the year, preserving the victory for Sabathia.

“That was the best game he’s pitched all year,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Sabathia. “I thought he was brilliant; he shouldn’t have given up a run — ground ball after ground ball after ground ball.”

Sabathia seems to be the big man keeping the Yankees afloat in the tough American League East right now. He scattered seven hits, pitching into the eighth inning for the fifth straight start and retiring 14 of the final 16 batters he faced.

The two runs Sabathia permitted were of the unearned variety, as third baseman Eduardo Nunez had a rough night in the field and was replaced defensively after the fifth inning.

Nunez’s first miscue set up Carlos Pena’s first-inning RBI single; the second preceded Sean Rodriguez’s run-scoring hit in the second inning.

“It was a tough night for Nuney,” said Girardi, who suggested he may consider playing the utility man at fewer positions in the future.

New York grabbed two second-inning runs off Price to tie the game, as Granderson hit his team-leading 11th homer and backup catcher Chris Stewart knocked in a run with a single.

Cano delivered a crushing blow in the fifth inning with a go-ahead two-run blast, his third homer of the season, and Andruw Jones contributed a well-struck RBI double to pad the attack.

“That’s what I want to do, is just go out there and help the team win the game, do the little things in the game,” Cano said. “If you’ve got men on base, you just want to be able to drive them in.”

Cano’s recent surge is encouraging for the Yankees; he has homered twice in his last four games after a 63-at-bat homerless stretch, and he now owns an eight-game hitting streak.

“It just really changes our lineup because he’s so productive,” Girardi said. “He’s dangerous any time he walks to the plate. We swung the bats extremely well against a very good pitcher tonight, and Robbie was a big part of that.”….Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

No Yankee fan should dare try using the excuse and blame Robertson of blowing the save or/and game. ONE run and in the very first inning is all the Yankee offense could muster up! Oh yes Neuman did pitch great but the Yanks left 8 men on base. But then again, the Rays left 11 on base, so they had more opportunities. Either way, did Robertson blow the game? Did the Rays squander scoring opportunities? Or maybe the Yanks were lucky they didn’t get bombed earlier and get blown away altogether. However you look at it, the Rays have their number, the Yankee offense is cold and starting pitching is nonexistent. We are in deep trouble and I don’t see any relief in the near future. Pettitte is a GIANT question mark! We need the offense to put BIG numbers up or we will NOT make the playoffs! Let’s go Yankees, wake up!

MLB Recap:

NEW YORK — No “Enter Sandman” blaring from the speakers at Yankee Stadium. No No. 42 running in from the bullpen. And last but not least, none of Mariano Rivera’s famed cutters were seen in the ninth inning of Wednesday night’s Rays-Yankees contest.

What the Yankees didn’t have combined with the Rays’ never-say-die attitude set up a four-run top of the ninth and a 4-1 Tampa Bay win with 38,024 watching.

The win snapped the Rays’ losing streak at three games and pushed the club to 20-11 on the season.

With the Rays trailing, 1-0, Sean Rodriguez led off the ninth against newly anointed Yankees closer Dave Robertson by lacing a single through the left side of the infield. Pinch-hitter Brandon Allen then singled to right and moved to second on Nick Swisher’s throw, putting runners on second and third with no outs.

Ben Zobrist drew a walk to load the bases before Carlos Pena struck out looking. B.J. Upton then hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Rodriguez and tied the score at 1.

That brought Matt Joyce to the plate with a disturbing stat staring him in the face: Rays hitters were in the midst of a streak of 20 consecutive hitless at-bats with runners in scoring position, dating back to Sunday’s loss to the Athletics.

Robertson got ahead in the count, 1-2. But after fouling off the fourth successive curveball he saw, Joyce connected on Robertson’s fifth pitch, a fastball that Joyce said “got a little bit too much of the plate.” As the ball sailed out toward right field, Joyce crumpled to the ground after rolling his left ankle in the batter’s box. He recovered in time to see the ball clear the wall for a three-run homer that gave the Rays a three-run cushion.

“It’s always great to come up with a big hit like that, especially against the Yankees,” Joyce said. “And it’s just hard to celebrate when you’re lying on the ground after you rolled your ankle.”

Joyce managed to get around the bases in Kirk Gibson fashion — minus the fist-pumping — return to the dugout and get his ankle taped so he could play defense in the bottom of the ninth.

Falling down “hurt my pride a little bit, but after the ball went over the fence I think the pride got a good kick,” Joyce said. “Knowing it was a home run made it definitely easier to run around the bases.”

The Rays’ ninth-inning outburst erased a night full of offensive frustrations that saw the team strand 11 runners. So the dramatic end felt like a soothing tonic to the offense…..Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

James Shield is one of the best pitchers in the American league and very consistent. He is very tough and hardly loses but the Rays seem to lay back too much when he pitches. Their run production is minimal and Shields has to pitch tight games and with practically no mistakes. Last year Shields had his best season but was only 16-12. He had 11 complete games, 4 of them shut-outs. He pitched 249.1 innings and yielded only 195 hits, 78 earned runs, struckout 225 and had an E.R.A. of 2.82. Those are great numbers and this year, going into this game, he is was 5-0. Shields is off to another great start but fell short in this one because the Yanks were able to capitalize on three of the four hits Shields gave up. Ibanez hit a two-run shot and Granderson hit a solo. Nova helped the Yankee cause by scattering 6 hits while pitching 7 complete innings, allowing 2 earned runs and striking out 8 batters. The Yanks hung in as Soriano was his usual scary self and Robertson came through in his new role of a closer. Get use to it, it’s not going to be easy, Mariano is not there. Yanks Win!

MLB Recap:

NEW YORK — Yankees starters have been spoiled for the last decade-plus, allowed to hand off the ball knowing that the greatest closer to pitch a ninth inning is waiting to put the final flourishes on their victory.

Ivan Nova didn’t have Mariano Rivera to trust on Tuesday, and yet he wasn’t chewing his fingernails. David Robertson didn’t make it look as effortless as his predecessor might have, but the end result was the same as the Yankees defeated the Rays, 5-3.

“I felt really good,” Nova said. “Mo is Mo; you can’t replace Mo, but I know Robertson can get the job done. He did it today. I hope he can keep doing it, we keep giving him the chance and we keep winning games.”

Nova did his part, getting back on the victorious path one start after having a streak of 15 straight winning decisions snapped to remain undefeated in his career against the Rays.

Raul Ibanez homered twice and Curtis Granderson slugged a solo shot, his team-leading 10th, as the Yankees toppled a tough James Shields and encountered a save situation for the first time since Rivera’s season-ending right knee injury last week in Kansas City.

“I was a little nervous, once again knowing you don’t have anyone behind you — or at least you don’t have Mariano behind you,” Robertson said. “I would have liked for it to be a real quick inning; it started off real well, but walks kill you.”

Trusted with keeping the lead from Nova’s seven strong innings of eight-strikeout ball intact, Robertson loaded the bases before striking out Carlos Pena for his fourth career save.

How rare is it not to have No. 42 jogging out of the bullpen in that spot? Since Rivera took over the closer’s role in 1997, Ramiro Mendoza ranks second in Yankees saves with 16. The Yankees hope Robertson’s chances aren’t all this nerve-wracking.

“I think it’s important for him,” said Joe Girardi, who won his 400th game as Yankees manager. “He looked comfortable. He doesn’t seem comfortable unless the bases are loaded. He threw strikes; that’s the most important thing. If he was all over the place, I would have had concern, but he wasn’t.”

Neither was Nova, who looked sharp in what he agreed may have been his best start of the year thus far. The righty carried some purpose — and more importantly, all of his pitches, in effective fashion — as he carved up Tampa Bay…..Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

In other baseball news, Hamilton hits 4 Home Runs:

Game 4: Yanks 10 Royals 4

MLB.com Recap:

KANSAS CITY — Phil Hughes brought more than just an extra-zippy fastball with him as he returned to the mound for the seventh inning on Sunday. He seemed to be carrying a few extra ounces of his manager’s trust.

Hughes’ strong effort earned him a chance to head back out and wrap up an impressive day of work in which he made a big lead stand up for a 10-4 win over the Royals that figures to keep him in the Yankees’ starting rotation.

“If I continue to pitch well and throw well, I’m sure I’ll gain more trust,” Hughes said. “That’s what it’s all about — having the manager know that you can get out of those jams and know that you can still have a lot left in the tank after 100 pitches.”

The Yankees provided Hughes with plenty of support as they earned a split of the four-game series at Kauffman Stadium. Robinson Cano’s eighth career grand slam highlighted a six-run third inning, with Nick Swisher and Alex Rodriguez also homering for New York.

“We talked about it yesterday; you can only tip your cap so many times,” Rodriguez said. “At the end of the day, we have to do the job. Yesterday wasn’t so good. Today was much better.”

Hughes owned a 7-1 lead by the third inning, cruising through his best outing of the year. He went a season-high 6 2/3 innings, coming within two of his career max with 115 pitches as he held Kansas City to three runs and six hits.

“I thought he located his fastball,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I thought he had a good changeup today that was effective, and he used his other pitches as well. He used some cutters, and he used some curveballs. We needed a win to finish the road trip.”

And Hughes may have needed one for other reasons. As the right-hander worked against Kansas City, walking one and striking out seven, Andy Pettitte was declaring himself ready to join the big league club after his most recent Minor League rehab start.

It has been suggested that Hughes could bounce to the bullpen to clear space for Pettitte, especially in the wake of Mariano Rivera’s season-ending right knee injury, but Sunday’s deep effort suggests that Hughes may stay.

“When you kind of have that long leash, it makes you feel like you can be that workhorse-type guy and go out there and have the trust of the manager and give us some length when we need it,” Hughes said.

Girardi said that he will, as of now, keep his rotation on turn. The manager expects to discuss Pettitte’s situation with general manager Brian Cashman, but there is justification for keeping Hughes in the rotation.

“I think the reason his name has been brought up so much is because of what he’s done in the past [in the bullpen], and with the injury to Mo,” Girardi said. “But this is also a guy who won [18] games in the rotation, so he’s done some good things in both places.”

Billy Butler knocked a run-scoring double in the first inning before Hughes settled in. Alex Gordon’s fifth-inning RBI single and Humberto Quintero’s solo homer in the seventh accounted for the other runs before three New York relievers finished up.

“It wasn’t a mistake-free outing, but with the run support, it was positive,” Hughes said.

Royals starter Luke Hochevar certainly would have traded places, having been chased in the third inning and hearing boos from the home crowd as he exited…...Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

The Yankees need more contributions like this from Cano and Arod in order to make the playoffs. With the suspect starting pitching we have, it is imperative for the Yankee offense to jump to considerable leads in the early innings. At least three to four run innings would be appropriate enough and would take the pressure off the starters. Holding the lead to after the the 6th inning would be more possible and the Yankee bullpen could take it from there. And still, it will not be easy because of the improvements the American league has made since last year. Let’s go Yankees!!

AL East Standings going into Monday 5/7/2012:

Game Three: Royals 5 Yanks 1

MLB.com Recap:

KANSAS CITY — What a season debut it was for Felipe Paulino.

The Royals right-hander was astounding in his return from the disabled list on Saturday, shutting down the powerful New York Yankees lineup and leading the Royals to a 5-1 victory at Kauffman Stadium.

Paulino threw six shutout innings, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out six. He retired the first 11 batters he faced before walking Alex Rodriguez with two outs in the fourth inning, and the Yankees didn’t pick up their first hit until Raul Ibanez singled in the fifth.

“I feel really strong and confident in myself,” Paulino said. “That’s the big key in this sport, baseball — be confident all the time when you throw your pitches and try to attack the hitter.”

Paulino did just that, rarely getting into any sort of trouble during his six innings. His only jam came in the fifth inning. Ibanez and Russell Martin hit back-to-back one-out singles, and Eduardo Nunez walked with two outs. Paulino escaped the bases-loaded threat by getting Derek Jeter to ground out to shortstop Alcides Escobar.

After allowing a leadoff double to Curtis Granderson to start the sixth, Paulino picked up some defensive help from Jeff Francoeur. The Royals right fielder caught a fly ball off the bat of Rodriguez and threw out Granderson, who had tagged from second, at third base for his fifth outfield assist of the year. Francoeur also made a sliding catch in right field two batters later to end the inning.

“I really love that when I’ve got the defense behind me,” Paulino said. “You feel more confident in your pitch, all your pitches. I’m the guy that’s not afraid to give up contact, and he made a nice play behind me. That was a very exciting moment.”

Francoeur acknowledged the importance of his play.

“I’ve seen the kind of speed that Granderson has got, and to keep [the score] at 3-0, it gave us some more breathing room,” Francoeur said. “And for us to come back and put up two runs the next inning was huge.”

The Royals opened the scoring in the first inning. Jarrod Dyson reached on an error by Jeter, and Alex Gordon ripped a single into right field off Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda. Dyson went to third on the base hit, and Gordon later advanced to second on a wild pitch. Both runners scored easily on a double smoked down the left-field line off the bat of Billy Butler, giving the Royals an early 2-0 lead.

Butler added another RBI in the fifth, doubling in Gordon, who had four hits on the night, to bump the Kansas City lead to 3-0. The Royals tacked on two more runs in the next inning on a Dyson sacrifice fly and a Gordon RBI double…..Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

Sabathia finally stopped the losing streak with an impressive start as he pitched 8.0 innings, scattering 7 hits and 2 earned runs. Both the Yankee and Royal offenses were shut down after scoring 2 runs each in the first inning. No further scoring until the top of the 7th and with 2 outs:

MLB Recap:

KANSAS CITY — Hours after Mariano Rivera stood before his teammates and promised his return, the Yankees made good on the closer’s demand to get their season back on track.

CC Sabathia was the right man to have on the mound for such an occasion, hurling eight strong innings to win his fourth straight start as the Yankees defeated the Royals, 6-2, on Friday at Kauffman Stadium.

“I’m glad CC was pitching tonight,” said Mark Teixeira, who homered to help New York break a three-game losing streak. “When you have a little bit of a skid, it’s always good to have that ace. That’s why an ace is so important.”

Eduardo Nunez’s go-ahead RBI triple opened the floodgates in a four-run seventh inning that also featured a two-run homer from Derek Jeter, capping an emotional 24 hours after Rivera was lost for the season with a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee.

“You’ve got to have a short memory here,” said Jeter, who is batting .404 and leads the Majors with 44 hits. “Every time you go out, you have to forget about what’s happened, and we played well tonight. CC pitched well; he deserves a lot of credit, and Nuney came up with a big hit.”

David Robertson was summoned for the ninth inning in a non-save situation as the Yankees’ bullpen went into operation for the first time without Rivera since 2003, the closer’s last trip to the disabled list. Rafael Soriano warmed up for the eighth but did not enter.

“I wouldn’t say I really thought about it, but I knew I had to get three outs and finish the game,” Robertson said. “It’s going to be like that, I guess, from now until the end of the season.”

The Yankees gave Sabathia a first-inning lead facing Bruce Chen, as Teixeira continued his dominance against the journeyman left-hander with a two-run homer. It was Teixeira’s seventh homer in just the 20th at-bat of his career against Chen…..Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

EVERY Yankee fan knows how important it is to have Mariano Rivera coming in and saving the game. He’s done it more than anyone in the history of the game. You can ask the opposition and you will get a unanimous response, he’s the most important component of the Yankees and has been the main reason why they have won all those championships since 1996. If you were living in another planet since then, you will not understand how important he is to the Yankee success. He is the PERFECT example of “Mr. Automatic.” How it happened:

He’s out now and all indications point to a season ending injury, a torn ACL and more, he frustratingly explains:

Mo is a real competitor, this is very unfortunate for both him and the Yankee team, let’s hope they rally for him and show their appreciation by winning another one.

MLB.com Recap:

KANSAS CITY — David Phelps accepted the loss in his first Major League start as the Yankees dropped their third straight contest on Thursday, falling 4-3 to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City’s first home victory of the season came just hours after the Yankees crossed their fingers for closer Mariano Rivera, who injured his right knee chasing a fly ball during batting practice. The closer was sent for an MRI during Thursday’s game.

Pitching in front of a group of friends and family that made the trip from his hometown of St. Louis, Phelps held the Royals to two runs and six hits, but the rookie right-hander needed 85 pitches to get through four innings and was bounced earlier than the Yankees had hoped.

Phelps, who made the club as a long reliever out of Spring Training, walked none and struck out five in the effort. He figures to receive at least one more turn in the rotation as the Yankees continue to hold the fort until Andy Pettitte’s projected big league return later this month.

Kansas City’s Mike Moustakas crushed a solo home run in the second inning off Phelps, his fourth, and Eric Hosmer knocked in Jarrod Dyson with a third-inning RBI single. Moustakas added a big two-run single facing rookie D.J. Mitchell in the fifth to open up a 4-1 lead at the time for the Royals……Read More

Box Score and Highlights

I know it’s early in the season but there’s no escaping the fact, the Yanks are struggling.  It is important to note, whenever any team faces the Yanks the atmosphere becomes playoff-ish for them. Everybody wants to beat the Yanks and it shows, it’s a confidence booster for the opponents. The Yankees sub-par, mediocre starting pitching has to bear down and complete at least 6 full innings in order to help our chances of winning more possible. These early inning barrages are becoming too overwhelming. We cannot be falling behind from the get go, the American League East is much stronger this year.

MLB.com Recap:

A night removed from making history — in handing manager Buck Showalter his 1,000th career win — a plucky Orioles team continued to roll on Wednesday, silencing the Yankees, 5-0, for a series victory that keeps the 2012 club surprising the baseball world.

Coming off their best homestand since August 2010, Baltimore has won five of its last six series, improving to seven games over .500 for the first time since July 19, 2005.

“We’ve got a great team,” said starter Jake Arrieta, who went a career-high eight scoreless innings in a dominant outing in which no Yankees batter got to second base. “We all know that in order to get people on board, we’ve got to show it. We plan on playing the baseball we’ve been playing, especially against these guys.”

After dropping Monday’s series opener — their fourth in as many games against New York — the Orioles proved their mettle, responding with back-to-back wins that gave credence to starter Jason Hammel’s warning that this year’s club wasn’t “going to be taken lightly” anymore.

Instead, these Orioles — winners of eight of 10 games and six of eight series overall — continue to be led by a surprisingly strong starting pitching staff, with Arrieta’s stellar outing preceded by quality starts from Hammel and lefty Brian Matusz. The trio’s efforts marked the first time the Orioles have held New York to two runs or fewer in three consecutive games in the Bronx since 1978. In the series, they had a combined 1.33 ERA over 20 1/3 innings, allowing 16 hits, three earned runs, striking out 18 and walking three.

“We’ve been confident all year,” said Matt Wieters who called a masterful game behind the plate and went 3-for-4, including his team-leading seventh home run and an RBI double. “We trust our ability, and we believe in the guys we have in that clubhouse.”

Never short on confidence, Arrieta got into a solid rhythm, throwing his breaking ball for strikes early and often and turning in his best start of the season as a result. Coming off a pair of losses, the 26-year-old — who lamented that his biggest problem was not putting guys away — was aggressive, tying a career high with nine strikeouts and not issuing a walk for the first time in six games.

“Just outstanding location and sink,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Arrieta, who allowed five hits in the 111-pitch effort. “Sometimes pitchers are going to make you look bad.”….Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

Game Two: Orioles 7 Yanks 1

MLB Recap:

NEW YORK — It went without saying that Orioles starter Brian Matusz, who entered Tuesday’s game against the Yankees with the longest active losing streak in the Majors, badly needed a win. And manager Buck Showalter — one victory shy of the prestigious 1,000-win mark — could’ve used one, too, if only to appease his two children, who had made Showalter aware of the pending milestone in the first place.

So it was only fitting that Matusz — the O’s most beleaguered starter — would toss his best start since 2010, using homers from Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy to topple New York, 7-1, and solidify Showalter’s spot in the history books.

Tuesday’s win was the Orioles’ first in five games this season against their American League East rivals from the Bronx, granting Matusz his first victory since June 6, 2011, and crowning Showalter as the 58th manager to reach the four-digit mark in wins. It was a celebration the no-nonsense Showalter accepted begrudgingly, as first-base coach Wayne Kirby started calling on all of the O’s players to meet at home plate, pushing their 55-year-old manager right where he belonged — front and center.

“Buck wanted no part of it,” shortstop J.J. Hardy, who delivered a go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning, said of the postgame celebration. “He didn’t want all of the attention; he was like, ‘Let’s go, let’s go.’ We finally got him in the middle of the circle, and it was a pretty cool moment.”

“That’s embarrassing, but I can’t tell you it doesn’t tug at your heart a little,” said Showalter, who was also treated to a Champagne toast in the visitors’ clubhouse before coming out to meet with the media. “It’s been an honor to manage this long, with so many good people — general managers and owners and people who give you an opportunity. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and the focus being off it a little, but I’m very appreciative of the players. They made me feel very young tonight, even though I’m an old goat.”….Read More

Box Score and Highlights (Giraldi on Hughes):

After a while one gets tired of Giraldi making excuses for Hughes. The ball is not moving, that’s the problem! Hughes keeps trying to spot his pitches and the opposition is taking batting practice with him! It’s obvious, just pitch!

Game One: Yanks 2 Orioles 1

MLB.com Recap:

NEW YORK — The trusting relationship between Hiroki Kuroda and Russell Martin was polished during their days together in Los Angeles, and it paid off in the form of a key play on Monday at Yankee Stadium.

Martin shoveled a strike to Kuroda at the plate after a seventh-inning splitter bounced away from the catcher, and the pitcher deftly covered the plate to slap a run-saving tag on the Orioles’ Nick Markakis as the Yankees held on for a 2-1 victory.

“The most important thing is that we got a win,” said Kuroda, who won his second straight start. “I’m satisfied with that. I had complete trust in Russell.”

Kuroda looked down at his right hand to check for an injury after Markakis’ hard slide into home, but the right-hander and his former Dodgers batterymate had already survived their toughest scrape of the night.

Backed by Eric Chavez’s second inning two-run homer, Kuroda held Baltimore to a run on four hits in seven innings. David Robertson and Mariano Rivera finished the job to preserve the win as the Yankees improved to 4-0 against the Orioles this season.

For Kuroda (2-3), the victory snapped an unwelcome trend he had established of following a good start with a subpar effort. Kuroda, like CC Sabathia a day prior, gave the Yankees the type of deep and winning effort they have craved from their rotation.

“I thought he pitched effectively inside,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I thought his slider was good tonight. The only walk that he had scored. He attacked the zone all night, and I thought he was effective.”

Kuroda cruised through the first six innings, limiting Baltimore to just Chris Davis’ second-inning sacrifice fly, but the Orioles cobbled together a rally in the seventh, as Markakis singled and Kuroda hit Matt Wieters on the right knee with a pitch.

A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third, and after a strikeout, Kuroda uncorked another splitter that skipped away, allowing Markakis to break for the plate. Martin recovered and tossed to Kuroda, who slapped the tag on Markakis.

“I didn’t think the ball was that far, but they were being aggressive right there,” Martin said. “Hiro got off the mound really quick and gave me a good target, and I just laid it in there for him.”

Chavez, playing third base, said that he was somewhat surprised that Markakis moved immediately, but Markakis said he needed to press the envelope in a one-run game.

“It’s not like we had 10 hits, 12 hits; a lot played into the situation,” Markakis said. “I was just looking to score [and] tie the game. I thought I had a good jump. The ball didn’t go as far as I wanted to. Nine times out of 10, I’m going to try it.”

Kuroda was done for the night, having walked one and struck out three en route to his second win in three Yankee Stadium starts. The right-hander threw 52 of 87 pitches for strikes, and lowered his ERA to 3.69…..Read More    

Box Score and Highlights:

Game Three: Yanks 6 Tigers 2

MLB Recap:

NEW YORK — CC Sabathia knew exactly what the Yankees needed from him on Sunday afternoon, and they couldn’t have asked for more as the ace turned in his sharpest outing of the young season.

Sabathia pitched eight innings of two-run ball to bail out a taxed bullpen, supported in part by home runs from Curtis Granderson and Andruw Jones, as the Yankees defeated the Tigers, 6-2.

“You always feel confident that you can go out and hold a team down,” said Sabathia, who won his third consecutive start. “I felt pretty good today. I moved the ball around and made some pitches.”

Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs, giving him 1,904 for his Major League career as he moved past Willie Mays for sole possession of ninth place on the all-time list, according to MLB.com.

But the star of the afternoon was Sabathia, who walked two and struck out eight as he helped the Yankees secure a series victory for the fifth time in their last six attempts.

“That’s why we call him an ace,” Jones said. “Every time he goes out there, you can count on eight innings. It’s good to have a guy like that on your team.”

Rodriguez’s RBIs came on a second-inning infield single and a seventh-inning fielder’s choice, and that was the way it went for the Yankees, who scraped together just enough to win after leaving an eye-popping 14 men on base through six innings.

Granderson wondered if those missed opportunities might come back to haunt the Yankees late in the game, but Tigers starter Max Scherzer was knocked out in the fifth and New York created breathing room with two runs in the seventh off rookie Luke Putkonen, making his big league debut.

The first two runs off Scherzer were soft, coming in the second inning after Derek Jeter’s infield single to load the bases — just after Scherzer almost rung him up on a called third strike. The Yankees took advantage of the break as Granderson worked a walk to pick up his 500th career RBI. “Whenever you walk seven guys, it’s hard to blame something other than yourself,” Scherzer said. “But … I’m on the mound thinking [the third strike was] right there [on Jeter], trying to go into the dugout and get ready for the third.”

A-Rod then rolled a run-scoring tapper down the third-base line that Miguel Cabrera couldn’t pick up barehanded, which was scored an infield hit….Read More 

Box Score and Highlights:

Game Two: Tigers 7 Yanks 5

MLB Recap:

NEW YORK — Drew Smyly spent his first day in the Big Apple on Friday taking the subway around town with fellow Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer.

“He told me I need to experience it,” Smyly said.

On Saturday, Smyly took the mound and acted like he owned the Bronx. In the process, he claimed most of the hitters who reside there. He also claimed his first Major League win and a piece of historic territory — not in the city, but in the recent record books.

Though Jose Valverde’s rocky ninth inning made a drama out of the Tigers’ 7-5 win on Saturday, the six-plus innings of two-hit, one-run ball Smyly posted to start it felt almost eerily smooth. The Nick Swisher home run to put the Yankees on the scoreboard two batters into the game didn’t rattle him, nor did the crowd of 44,686, nor the deep drives that sent left fielder Andy Dirks on the run to catch.

“It feels great getting my first ‘W,’ and then the team’s on a losing streak and you’re able to help the team get over that hump, so hopefully this is what jump-starts us,” Smyly said. “Hopefully we can start rolling from there.”

Smyly so quieted the normally raucous crowd that former Yankee Phil Coke drew barely a murmur of boos when he ran in from the bullpen to replace Smyly after a leadoff single in the seventh. The Yankees bats from Swisher’s first-inning solo shot until Alex Rodriguez’s leadoff single on Smyly’s 93rd and final pitch had been silenced.

In between, Smyly retired 17 of 19 with two walks and seven strikeouts. He fanned five in an eight-batter span from the fourth inning into the sixth, starting with a cutter that snuck in on Robinson Cano for a called third strike and a curveball that sent Rodriguez down swinging.

“The first inning, they were hitting the ball pretty hard,” Smyly said. “I gave up the homer to Swisher and then a couple hard-hit balls from [Derek] Jeter and Cano. But after that, I wanted to just come back out in the second. They threw up three more runs, so I had a 6-1 lead, so I was thinking, ‘Throw strikes, get outs and keep the team in the game.’

“After the second, I was feeling good. All my pitches and my changeup were on. My cutter and curveball were right where I wanted them to be the whole game, so I was able to have a good mix between my fastball and those two pitches, and I was able to keep them off balance.”

Smyly looked like someone who had pitched here before. Never mind that the Arkansas native had never been to New York.

“He pitched, really pitched, like a veteran pitcher, to be honest with you,” manager Jim Leyland said. “Not a lot of guys can do that. Guys that pitch a long time can’t do that.”….Read More

Box Score and Highlights: