Boston Red Sox 1 — New York Yankees 4
The first start for Michael Pineda in Yankee Stadium as a New York Yankee was against a formidable opponent, the Boston Red Sox.
Where Yankees starters have struggled all season, the first two innings, Pineda shined bright. With a quick glove at first for a laser of a lineout and a confident swagger with a power fastball, Pineda got two strikeouts in the second inning, a hanging slider and a power fastball up in the zone. Pineda allowed no hits through the first four innings while striking out five.
In the fourth inning, an error by third baseman Jonathan Herrera on a ground ball by former Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury gave the Yankees the opening they needed. Carlos Beltran would hit a single to put two on with no one out. Brian McCann would come through with a much needed single down the first base line to bring home Ellsbury. The Red Sox would minimize the damage in the inning with a double play but Beltran would come around to score.
The Yankees gave Pineda two runs and the way he was pitching, that was more than enough. He allowed his first hit in the fifth inning, a leadoff single by Xander Bogaerts but he responded with a flyout and two strikeouts, swinging at his fastball and his changeup.
In the fifth inning, a rookie Yankee would hit a first. Second baseman Dean Anna would hit his first career home run into right field to give the Yankees a three-run lead. Later in the inning, with two outs, Derek Jeter would hit a typical Jeterian hit with an opposite field hit that would bounce over the wall for a ground-rule double. Jacoby Ellsbury would hit a single to left field that scores Jeter for the fourth run of the game.
Michael Pineda would lose his shutout in the seventh inning as his got into the 90’s and Daniel Nava took him deep for a solo home run. A single would be the last pitch he threw as the Yankee Stadium crowd gave him a good ovation for an outstanding Yankee Stadium debut in pinstripes.
In six innings, Michael Pineda allowed one run on four hits while walking two and striking out seven.
Lefty Cesar Cabral would come in with one on and no outs. A.J. Pierzynski and Jackie Bradley would go down on strikes as Cabral did his job perfectly. Right-handed pinch-hitter Ryan Roberts would come in and that cued the end of Cabral’s appearance. David Phelps took over as he looked to get his season going in the right direction. Ryan Roberts would ground out to shortstop and the bullpen was holding onto the three-run lead.
David Phelps would continue pitching and he would face the top of the Red Sox order in the eighth inning. He would get a pop out opposing a shifted defense and an easy ground out to Jeter before getting David Ortiz to strikeout on a sharp slider into the slugging designated hitter.
Phelps would stay in the game and with a three-run lead, he was in line for his first career save. Phelps would get a strikeout of Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava, both looking at called strike three. He would get one more fly out to center field and David Phelps finished off the game.
During tonight’s start, there was a suspicious substance on Michael Pineda’s right hand but the offense had no doubt. There is no doubt that Cabral and Phelps out of the bullpen were dominant and the win is a win.
Congratulations to Michael Pineda on his first win as a Yankee, Dean Anna on his first career home run and David Phelps for his first career save.
Win – Michael Pineda (1-1)
Loss – Clay Buchholz (0-1)
Save – David Phelps (1)
Notables
Red Sox
*Daniel Nava – 1 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (1) in the 7th, RBI (2)
*Xander Bogaerts – 2 for 4
Yankees
*Dean Anna – 1 for 3, R, Solo Home Run (1) in the 5th, RBI (1)
*Brian McCann – 1 for 3, RBI (3)
Current Yankees Record: 5-5
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