Yankees 10, Phillies 2
NEW YORK --- Ivan Nova pitched effectively into the seventh inning in his first start in over 14 months as the New York Yankees rolled to a 10-2 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon.
Returning from Tommy John surgery, Nova (1-0) allowed three hits in 6 2/3 innings. He only recorded one strikeout but issued two walks and let his defense make plays for him.
Nova threw 51 of 92 pitches for strikes and rarely encountered trouble. He put two on in the third when center fielder Ben Revere singled and second baseman Cesar Hernandez. After not getting a check swing call on Maikel Franco that led to manager Joe Girardi's ejection, Nova struck out the rookie first baseman.
Nova also put two on in the seventh when he committed a fielding error and gave up an infield single to left fielder Cody Asche. After getting catcher Carlos Ruiz on a fly ball the right field warning track, Nova exited his first start since April 19, 2014, to a standing ovation.
Nova had plenty of support in his return as the Yankees collected five runs and eight hits off Phillies' left-hander Cole Hamels (5-6).
Designated hitter Alex Rodriguez, first baseman Mark Teixeira and second baseman Jose Pirela drove in two runs apiece for the Yankees, who snapped a three-game losing streak that had seen their pitchers allow 34 runs. Center fielder Brett Gardner and left fielder Chris Young contributed RBI singles and third baseman Chase Headley added a run-scoring double as New York scored three in the fourth and four in the seventh.
The Phillies were unable to complete their first road series sweep in nearly a year and lost for the 13th time in 15 road games. Philadelphia scored twice in the ninth on a single by right fielder Domonic Brown and a groundout by Blanco.
Hamels (5-6) returned after missing his last scheduled start with a hamstring injury and had runners in four of five innings. He also hit Rodriguez with a first-pitch fastball in the first and warnings were issued to both teams by plate umpire Brian O'Nora.
Hamels also was not helped by some shoddy defense that the Yankees capitalized on.
Ruiz was unable to handle a throw from third baseman Andres Blanco on a bases-loaded force attempt on a ground ball by Pirela and that allowed a second run to score with none out in the second. That came after Ruiz made a poor throw on a bunt by shortstop Didi Gregorius.
In the fourth, shortstop Freddy Galvis lost a pop up to shallow center field by Gregorius in the sun. Gregorius scored on Gardner's single and the Yankees went up 4-0 when Headley's broken-bat ground ball over the bag and past Blanco's glove following a backhand attempt for a double to left
New York opened a 5-0 lead when Teixeira had a bloop single to right field. The Yankees scored a run in the sixth on a single by Young and four more in the seventh on doubles by Pirela and Rodriguez ahead of Teixeira's single.
NOTES: The Yankees placed INF Brendan Ryan on the 15-day disabled list with a right thoracic strain in his upper back and he returned to the DL two weeks after making his season debut. ... The move marked the fourth straight day that New York has made a transaction. ... New York 1B Mark Teixeira returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a stiff neck that required a cortisone injection. ... Phillies rookie Maikel Franco made his second straight start at first base after making three nice defensive plays there Tuesday. ... CF Ben Revere is the first Philadelphia player to get three straight games with three hits since Shane Victorino on Sept. 14-17, 2008.