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Yankees sweep Nationals

Jun 18, 2012 - 1:02 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ivan Nova pitched into the eighth inning while Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano each homered as the New York Yankees downed the Washington Nationals, 4-1, to sweep a three-game interleague set at Nationals Park.

Nova (9-2) scattered seven hits, a walk and one run over 7 2/3 innings for the Yankees, who stretched their season-high win streak up to nine games despite hitting 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranding 12 men on base.

"For the most part we've been playing pretty good for a long time, it doesn't mean you're always going to win, but you want to play well," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said of the Yankees' recent hot stretch. "It's obviously a lot more fun when you're playing well."

Rafael Soriano tossed a perfect ninth inning to record his 13th save of the year.

Edwin Jackson (3-4) allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks through six innings in a losing effort.

Adam LaRoche hit a home run to supply the offense for Washington, which had won six straight games entering this series.

"It's not October yet, that's how you look at it," Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper said of being swept. "We still got a long season and a lot of games left."

The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the first inning on Jeter's infield single, Granderson's double and a walk to Cano before Mark Teixeira lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center field to plate Jeter.

Granderson and Cano each moved up a bag on the play, but Raul Ibanez lined out to center field to keep it a 1-0 game.

After New York stranded a man on second in the second inning, Adam LaRoche led off the bottom of the frame with a blast over the right field wall to knot the game, 1-1.

Both teams then left a runner in scoring position in each of the next two innings before the Yankees took the lead for good in the fifth on Granderson's leadoff home run to right field.

New York cushioned its lead in the seventh inning.

Cano opened the scoring with a one-out homer to center field and Teixeira made it a 4-1 game when he doubled to left, advanced to third on Ibanez's groundout and crossed the plate on a passed ball by Nationals catcher Jhonatan Solano.

Washington would not threaten from there, failing to advance a runner past first base for the remainder of the game.

Game Notes

New York's win streak is its longest since a nine-game run from May 13-21, 2009...Nova has won his last five starts. He improved to 4-1 in seven career interleague appearances...Jackson fell to 2-7 in 17 career games -- 13 starts -- against the Yankees...New York leads the all-time series between the teams, 14-10...Washington hit 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.