Yankees Get Outpitched By A Hair, Now It’s Game On At Fenway

The Yankees lost the rubber game of a weekend match with the Pittsburgh Pirates, losing both the game and the series 2-1. Turn the page though because now the fun truly begins.

The Yankees, it goes without saying, would rather be 12-6 instead of 11-7 as they fly into Logan Airport to meet their arch-rival Boston Red Sox for three games beginning on Tuesday night.

A hit here and a hit there, and it could have been, but it isn’t because superb pitching beats excellent pitching. And that is what happened to Jordan Montgomery when he drew Ivan Nova as his opponent this afternoon at PNC Park.

Nearly everyone knows the story of Nova, who after years of up and down performances that remind of the kind Michael Pineda used to (hopefully) have. And how the Yankees finally gave up on him and Nova found himself in a different league and a Pirates uniform

And how, under the tutelage of the Bucs pitching coach, Ray Searage, he transformed himself into what he is today as one of the best pitchers in the National League.

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Unfortunately for the Yankees, Nova showed up again to push his record to 2-2 with seven innings of work that saw his ERA jet down to 2.00.

He made only one costly mistake, and that occurred in his final inning when Jacoby Ellsbury connected for his second home run of the season, bringing the Yankees to within one run.

But the Pirates bullpen slammed the door, allowing only two harmless walks over the final two innings.

Meanwhile, Montgomery pitched the game of his life as a big-leaguer going six strong innings, allowing only seven hits while allowing the two Pirate runs.

His command might have better as you want to see that strikes for pitches thrown (92-59) better, but, on almost any other day, Montgomery would have a win in his pocket.

The only change Joe Girardi made in the lineup today was giving catcher Kyle Higashioka the start over Austin Romine. Girardi did not insert Aaron Hicks in the over Brett Gardner, despite a plea from Yanks Go Yard writer, Mike Calendrillo, that he should do so.

Video Courtesy of the YES Network

Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This

Mama said there’d be days like this and the Yankees certainly had one. But following a day off on Monday, the Yankees have an opportunity to regroup and get ready for the biggest series of their season to date.

Greg Bird, Ronald Torreyes, Romine, and yes even Matt Holliday will get their first taste of what it’s like when the Yankees invade Fenway, and the Beantown fans are already celebrating on Yawkey Way as the team bus pulls in.

Yankees Have A Winning Formula No Team Can Copy

The Yankees can think of ways to win in baseball that no one else has ever thought of, like when Miller Huggins told Babe Ruth to invent the home run.

But hopefully, they’ll quickly learn that it’s a lot of fun too. And they’ll just go out there and play ball on a field with the same geometric design as any other field in the major leagues.

In their first real test of the season, the Yankees are fortunate to have their veteran, CC Sabathia, on tap to begin the series. Strap yourself in, it’s going to be a fun ride.