Yankees run win streak to ten behind Sabathia’s complete game

New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia didn’t want to be the one who let the win streak end. He made sure it wouldn’t with his first complete game of 2012 in a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees have now won ten in a row and 20 out of their last 24 contests.

Sabathia, who has worked at least seven innings in 11 of his 14 starts, allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out 10. Sabathia’s victory put him in a tie for the American League lead with teammate Ivan Nova and Texas Rangers starter Matt Harrison.

The Braves had a two-run lead over the Yankees after the Braves batted in the fifth inning thanks mostly to Michael Bourn. Bourn led off the game with a triple and then drove in the second run with a single.

The Yankees would strike in the home half of the fifth with some timely hitting after being shut down by Braves starter Mike Minor. Alex Rodriguez led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Robinson Cano walked, but Andruw Jones struck out. Russell Martin delivered a ground rule double to left field scoring Rodriguez. Jayson Nix walked and Chris Stewart popped up for the second out of the inning. Derek Jeter singled up the middle driving in Cano and Martin giving the Yanks the lead.

The Yankees scored single runs in each of their last three at-bats to provide more than enough insurance for Sabathia. Mark Teixeira hit a solo homer in the sixth, Jeter recorded another RBI-single in the seventh and Cano blasted a home run to dead center in the eighth to culminate the scoring.

Sabathia got stronger as the game went on. He faced one batter over the minimum over the course of his last four innings. According to Joe Girardi, the key for Sabathia was his sinker. Girardi said it was the first performance of the season in which Sabathia was consistent throughout the game with his most effective pitch. He induced 13 ground outs to go along with the 10 strikeouts.

The Yankees (41-25) now lead the Baltimore Orioles by 2.5 games (three in the loss column) and are four games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. The Braves dropped to 4.5 games behind the idle Washington Nationals in the NL East.

The Yanks send Hiroki Kuroda (6-6, 3.43 ERA) to the mound tonight at the Stadium with the win streak on the line. Kuroda held the Braves to two runs in a victory last week. He once again faces Tim Hudson (4-3, 3.90 ERA) who took the loss allowing three runs to the Bombers.