Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Nova Solid As Yanks Beat Twins 4-3

Final123456789RHE
Minnesota000210000380
N.Y. Yankees «22000000x471
WP: I. Nova (1-0) LP: S. Baker (0-1)
SV: M. Rivera (3)


The Yankees improved to 3-1 on the season with a 4-3 win over the Twins on Monday night in the Bronx.

All the offense Ivan Nova and the Yanks would need came in the first two innings. Alex Rodriguez got things started with a two-run bomb in the first, his 2nd HR of the season. In the second, Jorge Posada hit his 3rd of the year, another 2-run shot to make it 4-0 Yanks.

In his 2011 debut, Nova was solid and showed the same command and composure that impressed many of us last year. He held the Twins scoreless over the first three before allowing two in the 4th and then another in the 5th to allow them back into the game. But that's where he and the Yankees pen would hold them. A scoreless sixth wrapped up Nova's night on the mound: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, and he threw just 83 pitches (50 for strikes).

The Yankees then went with what YES has started calling "The Formula", which is the combination of Joba Chamberlain in the 7th, Rafael Soriano in the 8th and Mariano Rivera in the 9th. I'm not a big fan of the nickname, but if it continues to work like it has so far they can call it whatever they want. Tonight the three allowed just two hits combined over three scoreless.

Besides yesterday's shaky outing from Hughes and Colon in relief, and the fact that Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner are in early season slumps, there isn't much to complain about over the first four games of the season. The lineup looks to be what we all expected, the bullpen has been solid, and the starters have been good enough. The Yanks are 3-1, and send CC Sabathia to the mound tomorrow night to make it 4-1.

HittersABRHRBIBBSO#PAVGOBPSLG
B Gardner LF30001021.133.188.133
D Jeter SS40000113.143.235.143
M Teixeira 1B21101120.357.5001.000
A Rodriguez 3B4112009.357.471.929
R Cano 2B40200111.294.333.529
N Swisher RF31001120.286.389.357
J Posada DH3112009.286.375.929
C Granderson CF20101114.231.286.462
R Martin C30100111.429.429.714
Totals2847446128
BATTING
HR: A Rodriguez (2, 1st inning off S Baker 1 on, 2 Out); J Posada (3, 2nd inning off S Baker 1 on, 0 Out)
RBI: A Rodriguez 2 (4), J Posada 2 (6)
2-out RBI: A Rodriguez 2
GIDP: R Martin, A Rodriguez 2
Yankees RISP: 0-3 (C Granderson 0-1, B Gardner 0-1, J Posada 0-1)
Team LOB: 5
BASERUNNING
SB: R Martin (2, 2nd base off S Baker/J Mauer)
FIELDING
E: D Jeter (1, bobble)
DP: 2 (R Cano-D Jeter-M Teixeira, D Jeter-R Cano-M Teixeira).

PitchersIP H RERBBSOHRPC-STERA
I Nova
(W, 1-0)
6.063313083-504.50
J Chamberlain
(H, 1)
1.00000009-73.00
R Soriano
(H, 2)
1.010001019-110.00
M Rivera
(S, 3)
1.010001014-120.00
Totals9.0833150125-80
PITCHING
WP: I Nova
First-pitch strikes/Batters faced: I Nova 11/24; J Chamberlain 2/3; R Soriano 1/4; M Rivera 4/4 
Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In Play strikes: I Nova 15-5-10-20; J Chamberlain 2-0-3-2; R Soriano 5-1-3-2; M Rivera 5-0-4-3 
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: I Nova 11-4; J Chamberlain 2-1; R Soriano 0-2; M Rivera 1-1
Game Scores: I Nova 50
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Ivan Nova
HONORABLE MENTION: Alex Rodriguez & Jorge Posada

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