Yankees Game 35: Big 3 bullpen backup Ivan Nova in win

Ivan Nova put on a ground ball clinic and The Big 3, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman lived up to the billing to wrap up the win.

Chicago White Sox 1 – New York Yankees 2

After falling to Sale and the White Sox, the Yankees turned to Super Nova to get back into winning ways.

After a scoreless first inning, the Yankees got to former Yankee farmhand Jose Quintana.

With two outs in the second inning, Chase Headley walked. Aaron Hicks made the most of the opportunity when he hit a double to right field, over the reach of Adam Eaton, allowing Headley to slide in just ahead of the play at home to put the Yankees ahead by one.

Didi Gregorius hit a single the other way to score Hicks. A double by Austin Romine nearly scored Gregorius but it bounced over the wall, forcing Gregorius to stay at third. The Yankees were forced to settle for a two-run second inning.

Ivan Nova followed the two-run second inning with four consecutive ground outs into the fourth inning but Todd Frazier got a hold of one. On an elevated pitch, the White Sox third baseman went deep to left for a solo home run to cut the deficit in half. Following the home run, Nova allowed two base runners over the next nine batters he faced, generating six ground outs and one strikeout but exited after walking Todd Frazier with two outs in the sixth inning

In 5 2/3 innings, Ivan Nova allowed one run on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. With his 74 pitches, Nova generated 13 ground outs from the 22 batters he faced.

His sinker was keeping the ball in the ballpark, except for the Frazier home run on an elevated pitch.

Coming in for Nova, Dellin Betances struck out Melky Cabrera to end the sixth inning. Betances returned to the mound for the seventh inning and proceeded to strike out Brett Lawrie, Avisail Garcia and Dioner Navarro for a perfect four up, four down, four strikeout appearance.

For the eighth inning, Andrew Miller came on and struck out two but gave up a single and got a ground out.

In the ninth inning, the final piece of arguably, the best three-man back end of the bullpen came in, in closer Aroldis Chapman. The former Red went head-to-head with former Red as Chapman struck out Todd Frazier for the first out. Pinch-hitter Jerry Sands went down on strikes as well. Brett Lawrie made contact but a harmless fly out to right ended today's game just like the Yankees scripted it entering the season.

Eight of the 11 batters to face Betances, Miller and Chapman struck out.

Win – Ivan Nova (2-1)

Loss – Jose Quintana (5-2)

Save – Aroldis Chapman (2)

Notables

White Sox

*Todd Frazier – 1 for 3, BB, Solo home run (12) in the 4th, RBI (32)

*Jose Abreu – 1 for 4, 2B

Yankees

*Didi Gregorius – 3 for 3, 2B, RBI (15)

*Aaron Hicks – 1 for 3, R, 2B, RBI (8)

Current Yankees Record: 15-20