Pineda, late drama lift Yankees past Marlins
NEW YORK -- Michael Pineda carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Alex Rodriguez moved within three hits of 3,000 and the Yankees benefited from an overturned call at home plate, holding on for a 2-1 victory over the Marlins on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
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Pineda retired 18 of the first 20 Marlins he faced, issuing two walks, before Christian Yelich broke up the bid with a homer to right-center field leading off the seventh. It was another close call for the Marlins, who were nearly no-hit by the Braves' Shelby Miller on May 17. Pineda settled for nine strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings, registering his eighth victory of the season.
"In the fifth, I looked at the score and said, 'Oh, they haven't had a base hit,'" Pineda said. "I'm not really thinking too much. The only thing I'm thinking on the mound is, 'Get outs.' That's what I want: get outs quick."
Rodriguez laced a first-inning RBI single off Marlins rookie right-hander Jose Urena and flared a soft single to center in the fifth, setting up a run-scoring Carlos Beltran hit. Urena held New York to two runs and six hits over six innings in his fifth big league start.
Video: MIA@NYY: A-Rod singles in Headley to open the scoring
"[Rodriguez] still has quick hands," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "He has that ability to swing the bat. He took some swings where he got behind in the count and used his hands. He's got fast hands. That's what makes him a special player."
Dellin Betances recorded the final five outs for his fourth save, navigating a potential tying run in the eighth and putting two runners on in the ninth.
Video: MIA@NYY: Betances fans Mathis to notch five-out save
IN REVIEW
The Marlins briefly believed they had tied the game in the eighth inning, as Dee Gordon greeted Betances with a grounder to first base that Garrett Jones threw to the plate, where Adeiny Hechavarria was sliding home. Home-plate umpire Dale Scott initially ruled Hechavarria safe, but a review of 2 minutes, 41 seconds overturned the call, as catcher Brian McCann was judged to have tagged the runner before he touched the plate.
"It's a good play by Brian; a quick tag, and thank goodness for review," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. More >
Video: MIA@NYY: Hechavarria called out after challenge
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Big Mike dominates: Pitching on regular rest after having his last start pushed back due to innings concerns, Pineda had his swing-and-miss stuff working from the beginning of the game, retiring the first 11 batters he faced. Had Yelich not delivered the seventh-inning homer, it would have been interesting to see how the Yankees planned to handle the situation going forward; Pineda was at 94 pitches through the sixth inning. His season high is 111, in a 16-strikeout performance vs. Baltimore on May 11.
• Cut4: Gordon wants nothing to do with Pineda's pitch
"I was in a bad spot there," Girardi said. "People questioned me pulling him out with 16 strikeouts to go for the record, and I think he had 111 pitches. You can't let him go forever, so my guess, at some point I would have had to really consider pulling him." More >
Video: MIA@NYY: Pineda K's Gordon with bat off shoulder
Urena effectively wild? Making his fifth big league start, the 23-year-old Urena was able to limit damage on a night he struggled to throw strikes. The rookie made it through six innings, giving up two runs while walking a career-high four, plus he hit a batter. Of his 96 pitches, just 50 were strikes. Yet, Urena was able to keep his team in the game. More >
Video: MIA@NYY: Urena limits Yanks to two runs over six
A-Rod's chase for 3K: Rodriguez now has 2,997 career hits as he aims to become the 29th player in history to reach 3,000. Rodriguez delivered a run-scoring single to center field in the first inning, driving home Chase Headley, who was hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance of the night. Rodriguez also flared a soft single into center facing Urena in the fifth, and has seven games remaining on this homestand to reach the milestone.
"Of course it's always on your mind a little bit, but today was a huge win for us," Rodriguez said. "We needed to get back on the saddle and get a win. Mikey was awesome today, and it was as fun a game as we've played all year." More >
Video: MIA@NYY: A-Rod swipes first base since 2013
Marlins saving runs: Urena escaped a bases-loaded mess in the fourth inning, but in the fifth the Miami right-hander wasn't as fortunate. After walking Garrett Jones on four pitches to fill the bases, Beltran lined an RBI single to center. But the Marlins were able to prevent more damage when center fielder Marcell Ozuna made a strong, one-hop throw to the plate. Jeff Mathis applied the tag on Rodriguez for the third out, keeping the score at 2-0.
Video: MIA@NYY: Ozuna throws out A-Rod at home plate
In the eighth inning, with Yankees baserunners at second and third, Justin Bour robbed Garrett Jones of a certain two-run single with a terrific diving catch, snowconing the ball to end the inning.
Video: MIA@NYY: Bour lays out for a terrific grab at first
QUOTABLE
"He's got a natural cut fastball, and it's tough down in the zone. You think you're on it and the ball has natural cut life to it. He's a big, physical kid and pounded the zone, made it work. He also was able to get the breaking ball over early in the count. And then that cutter." -- Jennings, on Pineda
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Yelich was recently moved to the No. 3 spot, with Giancarlo Stanton sliding down to cleanup. The homer off Pineda to lead off the seventh was his first home run in 27 at-bats in the three spot. In 121 career at-bats at No. 3, Yelich now has two homers.
REALMUTO, TEIXEIRA UNAVAILABLE
• Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto was unavailable due to a tight back. It's not believed serious, and the rookie should be ready for Thursday. That's one reason why Realmuto didn't pinch-hit for Mathis with two outs in the ninth inning, and two runners on.
"He will be available. But it's not worth running the risk right now," Jennings said. "He should be fine for tomorrow. But not worth the risk right there when his back is tight."
• Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira also sat out with what Girardi revealed to be a stiff neck. Teixeira said that it has been bothering him for about a week, but he expects to play on Thursday. More >
Video: MIA@NYY: Betances wins battle with K of Stanton
WHAT'S NEXT
Marlins: Mat Latos (2-4, 5.44 ERA) will face the Yankees for the first time in his career Thursday at 7:05 p.m. ET. The right-hander looks to build upon his finest start of the season, striking out 11 while giving up one run over seven innings in a win over the Rockies. Latos' velocity was up, in the 94-96 mph range, for the first time this year.
Yankees: CC Sabathia (3-7, 5.38 ERA) takes the ball as the Yanks conclude their four-game home-and-home series with Miami. Sabathia is coming off a no-decision in the Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Orioles on Saturday, in which he allowed four runs over five innings.
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