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Andy Pettitte evened his record at 6-6 with today's win over the Orioles. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Yankees Game 87: Nunez makes an impact on sixth straight

Andy Pettitte evened his record at 6-6 with today’s win over the Orioles. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Baltimore Orioles 4 — New York Yankees 5

 

Eduardo Nunez returned to the team with success in today’s 5-4 win over the Minnesota Twins.

The Yankees turned to Andy Pettitte to pass the baton that is the five-game winning streak. Much like yesterday, an early home run put the Orioles ahead. After getting two outs, Pettitte gave up a single to Adam Jones and Chris Davis hit his league-leading 33rd home run of the season to put the Orioles ahead by two. The home run went to center field and barely left the ballpark, bouncing off the top of the wall and entering Monument Park.

After the early deficit, the Yankees responded in the bottom half of the second. Travis Hafner started the game with a walk. Zoilo Almonte and Lyle Overbay would hit a pair of singles to load the bases for Luis Cruz. The third baseman for the Yankees hit a bloop single to left field to bring in the Yankees first run.

Missing 55 games with a left oblique strain, Eduardo Nunez was playing shortstop batting eighth in the lineup. The Yankees shortstop hit a sacrifice fly to left field that had also featured some ill-advised baserunning by Lyle Overbay. The Yankees first baseman would be doubled off trying to advance to third on the fly ball but the game was tied.

Pettitte would give up two more runs but the Yankees would back up the veteran lefty. In the fifth inning, Nunez got the Yankees offense going. He would single and Chris Stewart followed with a single of his own. Brett Gardner moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt and Ichiro Suzuki hit a single up the middle. A diving stop by second baseman Alexi Casilla prevented the single to get to the outfield and keeping the Orioles ahead by one. Robinson Cano would bring the run in anyway with a bloop single to left field to tie the game. The Yankees would not be able to plate the go-ahead run in this inning.

But Eduardo Nunez would come up in the sixth.

Lyle Overbay would begin the inning with a single and Luis Cruz would successfully sacrifice himself despite getting into a two strike count. Eduardo Nunez would follow and hit a single to center field that brought in Overbay and put the Yankees ahead. Andy Pettitte, now pitching with a lead, would get two outs and exit the seventh inning with a runner on. Shawn Kelley would get the final out of the inning on a strikeout and Andy Pettitte’s line was done.

In 6.2 innings, Pettitte allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out four.

David Robertson got the eighth inning and allowed a hit but got a strikeout and erased the baserunner with a double play. Mariano Rivera got the ninth inning like Yankees fans are accustomed to and allowed a single up the middle that Robinson Cano couldn’t make a play on. But Mariano Rivera would not let this affect him, three strikes to former Yankee Chris Dickerson, including a jamming cutter ended the game. For Mariano Rivera, this was his 29th save of the season.

 

Win – Andy Pettitte (6-6)

Loss – Chris Tillman (10-3)

Save – Mariano Rivera (29)

 

Notables

Orioles

*Chris Davis – 1 for 4, R, 2-Run Home Run (33) in the 1st, 2 RBI (85)

*Alexi Casilla – 2 for 3, 2B, RBI (9)

Yankees

*Eduardo Nunez – 2 for 3, R, 2 RBI (6)

*Robinson Cano – 1 for 3, BB, RBI (58)

 

Current Yankees Record: 48-39

 

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