Returning home for the American League portion of the four games with the Marlins, Michael Pineda set things right.
After a scoreless first inning from Big Mike, that featured two strikeouts, the Yankees went to bat against rookie Jose Urena. After retiring the first batter, Chase Headley took a pitch off the ankle for the first baserunner of the game. A ground out advanced Headley to second and Alex Rodriguez came through with a single to center that scored Headley.
Following the perfect first inning, Michael Pineda retired the next 11 in a row. The pursuit for perfection ended with a two-out, fourth inning walk but Pineda got Giancarlo Stanton looking at called strike three to keep the no-hitter intact.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Yankees got an opportunity at adding to the lead and giving Pineda some room to work. Alex Rodriguez started the inning with a walk. A pair of outs were sandwiched between two additional walks and the bases were loaded with two outs. Unfortunately, the bases would be left loaded on a ground out by Mason Williams.
The opportunity appeared again in the fifth inning.
Chase Headley hit a one-out single. After the second out of the inning was recorded, Alex Rodriguez got his second hit of the game, a single to put two on with two out. A walk of Garrett Jones loaded the bases, Carlos Beltran hit a single to center field. Headley scored but Alex Rodriguez was out at home on a strong throw from center fielder Marcell Ozuna.
Through six innings, Michael Pineda struck out nine and walked two without allowing a hit. The bid for a no-hitter was erased right along with the shutout. The first hit for the Miami Marlins came on the bat of Christian Yelich. The Marlins left fielder took Pineda deep.
In fact, the leadoff solo home run made the second run that scored in the fifth inning look tremendous. Pineda reached 100 pitches after the second out of the inning before he received the hook and exited the game to a great ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd.
In 6 2/3 innings, Michael Pineda allowed only one run on one hit, the home run, and struck out nine with two walks. Outstanding.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Brad Hand relieved Urena and was in immediate trouble when Brett Gardner led off with a double. Hand retired the next two before deciding to intentionally walk Rodriguez and got Garrett Jones to line out to first baseman Justin Bour. A leadoff double was wasted in another prime scoring opportunity.
After Chasen Shreve got the last out of the seventh inning, Justin Wilson came on for the eighth inning.
After recording the first out, Adeiny Hechavarria walked and Ichiro Suzuki hit a single to right field. Just like that, the tying run was on third base with one out. Cue the closer. Dellin Betances came in for a potential five-out save but he ended up needing help from beyond the ballpark.
On a ground ball to first baseman Garrett Jones, the speedy Dee Gordon made the likelihood of a double play slim. With that in mind, Jones made the throw home to get Hechavarria but the call at the plate was safe. Initially thought to be a tie game, a review of the play took place on a challenge and the evidence was sufficient, call overturned.
What could have been a game-tying decision by Jones was turned into a bold decision that kept the lead as Betances retired the next batter to send it to the ninth.
With a one-run lead, the heart of the Marlins order stood between Betances and the save. After getting the first out, Betances went monster-to-monster with the slugger, Giancarlo Stanton. Dellin Betances won their first encounter, striking out Stanton looking for the second out of the ninth inning. Things got troubling for Betances when Ozuna hit a single and Bour walked to put the potential tying run in scoring position. Betances settled down and got Jeff Mathis to strike out, ending the game and giving Pineda a much-deserved win.
With his two hits tonight, Alex Rodriguez is three hits away from 3,000 career hits.
Win – Michael Pineda (8-3)
Loss – Jose Urena (1-3)
Save – Dellin Betances (4)
Notables
Marlins
*Christian Yelich – 1 for 3, R, BB, Solo home run (4) in the 7, RBI (14)
*Ichiro Suzuki – 1 for 3
Yankees
*Alex Rodriguez – 2 for 2, 2 BB, RBI (33)
*Carlos Beltran – 2 for 3, BB, RBI (24)
Current Yankees Record: 35-30
