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Yankees Game 32: Big Mikkkkkkkkkkkkkkkke throttles O’s

The New York Yankees needed their ace starter to be the big stopper on a Sunday Mother’s Day matinee against the Baltimore Orioles. They got it and so much more out of Michael “Big Mike” Pineda. Pineda punched the O’s square in the beak, ringing up 16 Baltimore batters. Pineda’s outing was two shy of the franchise record set by Ron Guidry in 1978, against the California Angels and the 16 K’s were the most by a pitcher in pinstripes since David Wells and David Cone fanned as many in 1997.

Improving to 5-0 on the season, at one point in the game, Pineda whiffed five consecutive Birds batters, tossing seven superb frames of one-run ball. The lone blip on the radar was a solo home run yielded to J.J. Hardy in the second stanza. On the campaign, Pineda’s 54 punch outs pace the AL and he has only issued three walks across 46.1 innings pitched. His 18 K/BB ratio is best in the junior circuit. For what it’s worth, Jesus Montero has only coaxed two walks across 122 plate appearances at Triple-A this season.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Bronx Bombers were in business, bopping team home runs 37 and 38 on the year.

Carlos Beltran, whose OPS is .531 since May 1, belted his first home run of 2015, knotting the contest at 1-1 in the fourth frame, off Bud Norris. The big knock spurred a Yankee rally. Following a walk by Chase Headley and a single from Stephen Drew, Didi Gregorius plated Headley with a liner to right. Ensuing batter Jacoby Ellsbury sliced a two-run double to left, capping a four-run fourth.

An inning later, Brian McCann took Brian Matusz deep with a solo smash, his fourth of the season and the Yanks upped the lead to 5-1.

Fast forward to the home seventh, a Gregorius double to center, off Jason Garcia, plated McCann to cap off the Yankee scoring on the day, increasing their advantage to 6-1. The only faux pas on the play saw Gregorius make the final out at third, before Drew could cross with a potential seventh run.

Baltimore would scratch back in the eighth. With Esmil Rogers replacing Pineda, Jimmy Parades lined a one-out double to right and scored on an Adam Jones liner to center. Then Yankee Manager Joe Girardi unleashed the beast and dealin’ Dellin Betances picked up a whiff and a ground out to retire the side.

Betances also worked a flawless frame in the ninth, registering a strikeout of Travis Snider to wrap up a 6-2 New York victory.

Win: Michael Pineda (5-0)

Loss: Bud Norris (1-4)

Notables

Yankees

Michael Pineda: 16 K’s

Carlos Beltran: 2-for-2, HR (1), two-RBI, two-walks, career HR 374

Orioles

Adam Jones: 2-for-4, double and RBI

J.J. Hardy: 2-for-4, HR (1) and RBI

Current Yankees record: 20-12 (wins tied for tops in AL, best start since 2010)

Current Orioles record: 13-16