Yankees Come Through With A Textbook Win, Head Home For Opener

The Yankees can point to today’s 7-3 win against the Orioles and say, “Okay, that’s the way it’s done.”

The Yankees know that this is the way it was supposed to be. You get a quality start from your starting pitcher, mix in a little timely hitting from unexpected places in the lineup, and then turn the game over to your bullpen to close out the win.

The formula is simple. The problem, of course, is transferring it from paper and TV interviews to the field. And at least we can say that the Week From Hell is over as the team boards their charter taking them back to New York for the home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.

CC Sabathia took the ball again today knowing exactly what his job would be – The Stopper. And along with that, he knew that he needed to pick the team’s bullpen up by turning in what has become known as a “Quality Start”, which is measured by pitching six or more innings and allowing three or fewer runs.

Video Courtesy Of The YES Network

Sabathia delivered for the second time in this young season enabling the Yankees to push their record to 2-4, which looks a lot better than the 1-5 it could have been without him. 98 pitches, not all of them perfect, was enough, though, to hand the Orioles their first loss of the season by a score of 7-3.

Minusing a lineup that normally would have included Greg Bird, who is still struggling with that sore foot, and Gary Sanchez, who went down yesterday and was put on the 10-day DL, the bottom of the order picked the team up by doing just enough to get the job done.

It wasn’t all pretty though as the team went 2-10 with runners in scoring position and left twelve men on base. Nevertheless, it goes in the books as a “W” and perhaps with an asterisk next to it as this is one the Yankees really needed.

Ronald Torreyes, who is now batting .300 as the replacement for Didi Gregorius, had three hits in five at-bats and drove in two, while Aaron Judge contributed a bomb to add to the Yankees cushion that the tandem of Tyler Clippard, Dellin Betances, who got the win, and Aroldis Chapman protected.

Matt Holliday, in an oddity, went to the plate five times and drew a walk each time.

Video Courtesy Of The YES Network

Turning The Page

Tomorrow, the ball gets turned over to Michael Pineda, who gets the nod from Joe Girardi to open the home season for the Yankees at the Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Your guess is as good as mines, and probably Girardi’s too, as to what the team will get from Pineda. One thing is for sure though. These are Yankees fans Pineda will be pitching in front of tomorrow, and if he even tries to pull that baby-ass body language again, look out because it ain’t gonna be pretty when Pineda makes that lonely walk to the dugout.

Girardi might give a start to Kyle Higashioka, but we’ll have to wait and see. Otherwise, Austin Romine will do the catching again.

Greg Bird is another wait and see how he feels when he shows up at the ballpark tomorrow situation.

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One final note, the Blue Jays lost again and they are now the team with the unenviable record of 1-5 to start the season.