Warren: First 2015 start 'something to build on'

NEW YORK -- Yankees right-hander Adam Warren, who ran away with the competition for the team's final rotation spot this spring, delivered a solid, if unspectacular, outing in his first start of the season in Saturday's 8-4 loss to the Red Sox.

Warren surrendered two runs (one earned) on five hits in 5 1/3 innings, with a pair of walks and a strikeout, and threw a career-high 98 pitches. It was his fourth career start

"I felt like I battled out there today," Warren said. "I felt like I was kind of all over the place at times, but made some good pitches. Something to build on, and I definitely feel like I can be better out there."

New York needed a solid outing from Warren, with the Yankees' bullpen recovering from a 19-inning marathon loss to the Red Sox that started Friday night and ended early Saturday morning. He produced, even though after the game he admitted that his legs got a little tired as the innings went on and the pregame adrenaline wore off.

At the start of the spring, left-hander Chris Capuano was scheduled to be the Yankees' No. 5 starter, but he strained his right quad after two Grapefruit League starts and the position was left vacant. Warren took advantage of the opportunity and impressed the Yankees during the spring.

Although Capuano and right-hander Ivan Nova are scheduled to return from injury at some point before the All-Star break, Warren wants to make it hard for the Yankees to replace him in the rotation.

"I want to prove myself as a starter," Warren said earlier this week. "I feel like I've proven I could pitch in the big leagues, but I want to prove I can start in the big leagues. ... It's one of those things that I do have a chip on my shoulder. I want to go out there and show that I can do this."