Reds 6 - 5 Yankees
Final
  for this game

Yankees turn to Nova against Reds

May 19, 2012 - 3:00 PM

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(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees have lost just once this season when Ivan Nova's taken the mound. The Dominican right-hander gets the ball this afternoon in the continuation of a weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds.

Nova's lone defeat over the stretch came in a 5-0 home loss to Baltimore on May 2. Other than that, he's been on a tear in regular season play, even going back to 2011. Since a June 3 loss against the Angels, Nova has won 16 of his last 17 decisions.

He's undefeated in four career interleague starts, going 2-0 with a 3.16 ERA, with the Yankees winning each of those outings. Additionally, Nova won his lone appearance against the Reds, allowing just one run over eight innings.

Homer Bailey, who is winless over his last four starts (0-1), counters for the Reds. The righty threw 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision vs. Atlanta on Monday. He's never faced the Yankees.

On Friday, Andy Pettitte dazzled on the mound, pitching eight scoreless innings, as the Yankees won, 4-0.

Pettitte (1-1) made his second start since re-joining the club and limited the Reds to four hits, all singles, walked one and struck out nine to pick up his first regular-season win since July 8, 2010 at Seattle.

Robinson Cano and Raul Ibanez both homered in the eighth for New York, which avoided a season-high fourth consecutive loss.

Even with Friday's win, the Yankees have scored just eight runs over their last four games.

"We're going to keep working hard to make it better and I'm sure things will change," Ibanez said.

Boone Logan tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to complete the four-hit shutout.

Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo (2-2) gave up a fourth-inning run and recorded the first two outs in the eighth before Cano clubbed a solo home run to deep right field. Alex Rodriguez then singled and scored on Ibanez's blast to right.

"It's tough to keep those guys down all night," Arroyo said. "In the end, the four runs was a killer."

The Yankees are facing the Reds in interleague play for the second straight season and fourth time overall. New York won two of three games last year in a series at Great American Ball Park.

The Yankees have recorded a winning record in interleague play in each of the last 12 seasons (since 2000), and lost just one season series vs. the NL in the 15 seasons of interleague play (5-10 in 1997).






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