Nova Shines as Yankees Top Nationals 4-2

If there were any concerns about Ivan Nova because of his first start of the Spring, his second start put them to bed. He pitched three innings, struck out four Nationals, and only allowed one baserunner (reached on an error). He pounded the strike zone with his fastball and displayed a knee-buckling curveball that also helped Nova get batters out.

Feb 22, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher

(47) poses for a photo at Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

After Nova finished his outing, Joe Girardi brought his closer, David Robertson, into the game. Even though he hit the first batter he faced this season, Danny Espinosa, he got Tyler Moore to ground into a double play and Scott Hairston to fly out to Zoilo Almonte in left field for a solid 2014 debut.

Danny Burowa entered the game for the Yankees in the sixth inning and was quite good, though some balls found their way through the infield and cost him an earned run. That was the last time they would score as Robert Coello, Yoshinori Tateyama, and Jim Miller kept the Nationals at bay for the final three innings.

On the offensive side, the Yankees scored four runs in the second and never looked back. The scoring began with Kelly Johnson doubling home Brian Roberts. Ichiro Suzuki followed by reaching base on a throwing error by Nationals shortstop Zach Walters, which brought both Francisco Cervelli and Johnson to the plate. Suzuki would later score on a single by first baseman Corban Joseph.

The only other Nationals run came on a fifth inning solo home run by  Walters.

One player who struggled today was Derek Jeter. He grounded out to shortstop, second base (double play), and back to the pitcher.

David Phelps will get the ball tomorrow night at 7:05 against the Baltimore Orioles and Wei-Yin Chen.