Yankees Game 55: Nova, Goody make it close in victory

Despite a 7-run lead, the New York Yankees surrender 6 late and need 2 of Big 3 to shut down the win.

New York Yankees 8 – Baltimore Orioles 6

After losing the series opener, the Yankees looked to have more offense from the bats and reliable pitching.

The game remained scoreless between Ivan Nova and Tyler Wilson until the third inning. After being held off the bases for two innings, Chase Headley opened the third inning with a double to left center. After a fly ball advanced Headley to third, Austin Romine hit a fly ball deep enough to center for a sacrifice fly. Carlos Beltran and Alex Rodriguez opened the fourth inning with a pair of singles. Starlin Castro went to deep center for a run-scoring double. Didi Gregorius scored a run on a ground out. Then with two outs, Rob Refsnyder added a run with a double and Austin Romine added a run with a single in the four-run fourth inning.

With Tyler Wilson out and Dylan Bundy in for relief, the Yankees kept the bats hot. Carlos Beltran greeted Bundy with a single and after one out, Alex Rodriguez and Starlin Castro followed with a pair of singles with the Castro single bringing home a run.

In the sixth inning, the Yankees scored in an unconventional, albeit, exhilarating way.

After the first two outs, Jacoby Ellsbury got a single. On a hit-and-run, Brett Gardner got on base with a single as Ellsbury advanced to third. On a steal of second base by Gardner, Ellsbury delayed his steal attempt on the throw, allowing Gardner to be safe at second and Ellsbury to beat the throw back home for a successful double steal, giving the Yankees a 7-0 lead.

With three hits through the first six innings, a seven-run lead seemed like more than enough for Ivan Nova, right? In the seventh inning, Ivan Nova left a high fastball to Mark Trumbo, who put it over the wall of straightaway center field for a solo home run. Matt Wieters reached on an infield single before Pedro Alvarez went the other way, just keeping it fair for a two-run home run. Jonathan Schoop reached on a single and advanced on a wild pitch. A walk of Ryan Flaherty ended the night for Nova without an out recorded in the seventh inning. With two on, Nick Goody came in to face Adam Jones. The Orioles center fielder put one over the wall in left field for a three-run home run. Andrew Miller got the call for the last three outs of a six-run seventh inning, bringing the Orioles within one of tying the game.

In six innings, Ivan Nova allowed five runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts. All five runs scored on the eventful seventh inning in which Nova did not record an out.

Andrew Miller stayed on to get three outs in the eighth inning. In the ninth inning, Aaron Hicks got a one-out double and scored an insurance run for the Yankees on a single by Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees entered the ninth inning with a two-run lead and Aroldis Chapman on to close.

As Chapman was warming up with catcher Romine, a slider bounced and caught Romine on the thumb, immediately causing his exit in a freak occurrence. Previously injured regular catcher Brian McCann got the call to catch Chapman in the ninth inning. After the first two outs, Chapman walked Adam Jones but got pinch-hitter Nolan Reimold out on strikes to escape with tonight's victory.

Win – Ivan Nova (4-3)

Loss – Tyler Wilson (2-5)

Save – Aroldis Chapman (9)

Notables

Yankees

*Starlin Castro – 3 for 5, R, 2B, 2 RBI (23)

*Alex Rodriguez – 3 for 5, R, RBI (16)

Orioles

*Adam Jones – 1 for 4, R, BB, Three-run home run (8) in the 7th, 3 RBI (29)

*Pedro Alvarez – 1 for 4, R, Two-run home run (5) in the 7th, 2 RBI (16)

Current Yankees Record: 26-29