OJTB: New York Yankees win three of four against Boston Red Sox

The Yankees’ pitching keyed the victory. Coming off a disastrous outing against the Baltimore Orioles last Tuesday (3.2 IP; 10 hits; 7 ER), RHP Ivan Nova rebounded nicely on Sunday. Nova (2-1; 5.94 ERA) overcame some rocky moments—such as 1B Mike Napoli’s sixth inning homerun—throughout the course of the contest to pitch 7.1 frames. He surrendered only two runs on eight hits and struck out four.

Bronx, NY: Nova bounced back on Sunday night, pitching 7.1 innings—striking out four and walking just one batter. (AP)

The Yankees’ offense did just enough to support Nova

Carlos Beltran recorded three hits in four at bats, and his two-run dinger off LHP Felix Doubront (1-2, 6.75 ERA) in the third inning afforded New York a 2-1 edge, which it would not relinquish.

The Yankees’ third and final run incorporated some controversy and pain. With one out and runners at the corners in the fourth inning, 1B Francisco Cervelli banged into what was originally ruled an inning-ending double play. Manager Joe Girardi challenged the call, however, and upon further review, Cervelli was ruled safe and credited with a RBI. Unfortunately for the Bombers, Cervelli injured his hamstring while crossing the bag. Beltran, who started in right field, was moved to first base for the first time in his 16-year career; Ichiro Suzuki replaced Beltran in right field.

New York’s defense shined on the night

LF Brett Gardner held the Yankees’ deficit at 1-0 by throwing out CF Jackie Bradley Jr. at home plate to end the second inning. Suzuki then robbed DH David Ortiz of an extra-base hit in the eighth inning with a catch made while crashing into the right field wall.

Boston took a 1-0 lead on 2B Jonathan Herrera’s two-out RBI single in the second inning. Previously, the Yankees had blown a second and third, one-out chance against Doubront, when CF Jacoby Ellsbury was thrown out at third base to end the first inning. The out negated what should have been a Yankees’ run. Beltran had tagged from third base on a long fly ball by DH Alfonso Soriano, but he failed to touch home plate before Ellsbury was tagged for the third out.

RHP David Phelps made Yankees’ fans sweat when he loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth. Phelps managed to strike out PH Mike Carp to preserve the 3-2 lead, however.

Conversely, RHP Shawn Kelley had no difficulty in shutting down the contest. New York’s closer pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his third save in as many chances this season.

Following their first off day of the season on Monday, the Yankees will culminate their nine-game home stand with a two-game interleague set against the Chicago Cubs. RHP Masahiro Tanaka (1-0; 3.21 ERA) is slated to start Tuesday’s opener against Cubs’ RHP Jason Hammel (2-0; 2.63 ERA).