New York Yankees 3 — San Diego Padres 0
Ivan Nova continues to string together great starts with tonight’s 3-0 win over the San Diego Padres.
The Yankees faced starter Tyson Ross and were having a terrible time figuring him out. In the first four innings, Ross faced the minimum. He would also strikeout five in a row. The right-hander’s slider would consistently tail in on left-handed batters and away from right-handed batters. Batters consistently flailed at pitches that were out of the zone.
With one out in the fifth, Lyle Overbay ended the perfect game with a single. Nothing would develop from this. In the sixth inning, Brett Gardner would get the Yankees first walk of the game and he would steal second. But nothing would develop from this either.
In the seventh inning, Alfonso Soriano started with a bloop single that fell in front of the centerfielder. Curtis Granderson would follow by swinging at the 1-0 fastball and got his second home run of the 2013 season. The two-run home run put the Yankees ahead. This would be all that Ivan Nova needed.
Behind Hiroki Kuroda, it is well within reason to say Ivan Nova is the second best pitcher on the staff. He showed that in tonight’s game. In the first inning, two Padres would reach base but Nova prevented them from scoring. In the second inning, Nova faced a tougher spot but was just as tough. After a leadoff double, Ivan Nova produced two groundballs, the second keeping the runner from scoring. He would finish it off by striking out the pitcher.
The end to the second inning would start a string of 15 consecutive outs by Nova. In the seventh inning, Nova gave up a leadoff double. He would get the next two outs before walking his first batter. He would get the last out of his start with a called third strike on a curveball.
In seven innings, Ivan Nova allowed no runs on four hits while walking one and striking out eight.
David Robertson pitched a scoreless eighth inning and the Yankees got some insurance in the ninth. In the ninth inning, Curtis Granderson started the inning with a single, his second hit of the game. Lyle Overbay would hit a line out to center field and for some reason, Curtis Granderson had gone too far off of first and would need to scramble back. At first base, Granderson appeared to be out but first base umpire Alfonso Marquez ruled him safe.
After a second fly out, Curtis Granderson stole second base for his second stolen base of the season. Jayson Nix would single to right field and Granderson would come around to score from second and give Mariano Rivera a three-run lead for the save. For Mariano Rivera’s 35th save of the season, he would produce two fly outs before striking out the last batter swinging.
In Ivan Nova’sĀ last five starts, opponents are hitting .182 against him to a 1.66 ERA. He has also gone seven or more innings in his last five starts.
Win – Ivan Nova (5-4)
Loss – Tyson Ross (2-5)
Save – Mariano Rivera (35)
Notables
Yankees
*Curtis Granderson – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2-Run Home Run (2) in the 7th, 2 RBI (3)
*Jayson Nix – 1 for 1, RBI (21)
Padres
*Chase Headley – 2 for 4, 2B
*Alexi Amarista – 1 for 4, 2B
Current Yankees Record: 57-52
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