Orioles 0 - 2 Yankees
Final
  for this game

Nova's gem lifts Yanks past O's

Sep 1, 2013 - 12:21 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Ivan Nova came through with the first shutout of his career, a three-hit gem that carried the New York Yankees to a 2-0 victory over the reeling Baltimore Orioles.

Nova (8-4) walked just one and hit a pair of batters in notching his second complete-game effort of the season, with the other also coming against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium back on July 5.

The win, New York's ninth in 13 outings and sixth straight at home, also vaulted the Yankees a half-game ahead of the Orioles in the American League wild card standings, where both teams still trail Oakland and Tampa Bay for the two berths.

Robinson Cano supplied all the offense Nova needed, delivering an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning and cracking a solo homer in the eighth.

Baltimore, meanwhile, was dealt its 11th setback in 17 games despite a very solid performance from starter Scott Feldman (4-4), who permitted just one run on six hits over seven innings of work.

"To hold them to one run in this ballpark [was impressive]," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Feldman's effort. "We just couldn't do much off Nova, obviously."

Nova held Baltimore's powerful offense squarely in check throughout the afternoon. The right-hander got a key double play after the Orioles put the first two men on in the top of the second, then yielded just two baserunners over the next five frames to keep the Yankees up by a 1-0 score heading into the eighth.

"He was spectacular," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said of Nova. "You couldn't ask him to be anything more. Baltimore's got a great team and he was able to shut them down."

J.J. Hardy drew a walk to start the eighth, but was erased on another double play. Cano then provided some additional insurance in New York's half of the eighth, swatting a Troy Patton pitch into the seats in right for his 25th homer of the season.

"I wasn't looking for any [pitch] in particular," said Cano. "Just a pitch I can go up there and try to make a good swing and get on base."

Nova did surrender an infield single to Nate McLouth to begin the ninth, but promptly set down the next three hitters to finish off a 104-pitch masterpiece.

Feldman was outstanding as well, keeping the Yankees off the board after allowing first-inning doubles to Brett Gardner and Cano that staked New York to a quick 1-0 edge.

The Baltimore right-hander was able to work out of a jam in the fifth, inducing an inning-ending double-play grounder from Derek Jeter after singles by Lyle Overbay and Gardner gave the Yankees runners at the corners.

Game Notes

Gardner and Overbay each finished 2-for-3 for New York ... The Yankees have now won 10 of their last 11 home games, while Baltimore fell for the seventh time in its last eight road tests ... Nova wrapped up August with a 4-0 record and a 2.08 ERA over six starts -- all Yankee wins ... Jeter went 0-for-4 and is 3-for-19 in five games since returning from the disabled list ... Feldman allowed two runs or less for the fourth consecutive start.






Related News