Brandon McCarthy Gem Keeps Yankees From Astros Sweep

What more does the guy have to do to get his respect? Yes, he struggled mightily in Arizona this season, but who hasn’t? Even Kirk Gibson, whom his players love and respect, is about to lose his job in the mess that is the Diamondbacks. Nobody is happier to be out of the desert and in the Bronx than today’s starter, Brandon McCarthy. While there wasn’t much offense yet again from the former Bronx Bombers, McCarthy did his job, in giving the bullpen a much-needed rest, and the Yankees salvaged the final game of the three-game set with the Houston Astros, winning 3-0 to avoid the sweep.

McCarthy tossed a complete game shutout, allowing only 4 base hits the entire game, and striking out 8 hitters in the process. He’s been termed the starting rotation savior, and without him, what little hope the Yankees are holding on to for a postseason berth, would be all but gone. McCarthy recorded his fifth win of the season while in pinstripes, and lowered his ERA to just over 2. He ran into some trouble in the 7th inning, but worked his way out of it, not allowing a pair of baserunners to score.

For the Yankees on offense, it all came in the second inning, with a Chase Headley 2-run double that scored Martin Prado and Mark Teixeira. Houston starter Dallas Keuchel pitched well enough to win, tossing the complete game, inning effort himself, allowing only 3 earned runs. The third Yankees’ run came from a sacrifice fly from Ichiro Suzuki. Keuchel retired the last 9 hitters he faced in the tough-luck loss.

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The Yankees continue their homestand, as the Chicago White Sox roll into the Bronx for a weekend series. For the Bombers, Shane Greene (3-1, 2.91 ERA) gets the nod for the Yankees in the opener, while much-rumored to be dealt John Danks (9-8, 4.98 ERA) will go for the White Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.