Sabathia Shuts Down Rockies, Yankees Win 8-3
NEW YORK (AP) CC Sabathia tossed eight stingy innings to win for the seventh time in his last eight starts, Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs and the New York Yankees finally beat the Colorado Rockies, 8-3 on Saturday.
A dozen pitchers began the day with nine wins, but Sabathia (10-4) won the race to double digits. The big left-hander allowed one run while striking out nine, improving to 19-7 all-time in interleague play. That win total makes him baseball's active leader.
He threw just 103 pitches, but manager Joe Girardi decided against letting him finish the game. Buddy Carlyle promptly gave up Ty Wigginton's two-run homer in the ninth.
Seth Smith drove in the Rockies' only other run with a pinch-hit single in the eighth.
Mark Teixeira added a two-run homer for New York, Jorge Posada had three hits and the Yankees pounded out 15 total. Everybody in their starting lineup had a hit off Rockies starter Aaron Cook (0-3) except Robinson Cano, who went 0 for 4 for the second straight game.
The Yankees lost the series opener 4-2 on Friday night, and together with a series sweep four years ago at Coors Field, had lost four straight to the Rockies.
They didn't waste any time jumping ahead Saturday.
Brett Gardner laid down a perfect bunt toward third on Cook's first pitch and Wigginton didn't even bother making a throw to first. Gardner swiped second base with ease, then sped home when Curtis Granderson dribbled a single through the right side of the infield.
Outfielder Eric Young bobbled the ball and Granderson wound up at second. The error proved costly moments later when A-Rod's base hit gave New York a 2-0 lead.
Granderson and Rodriguez helped add three more runs in the third.
New York's hot-hitting outfielder started off with a blooper to left, and Teixeira followed with a rocket to center that put runners on second and third. A-Rod then went opposite field for a two-run double, and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Swisher, sliding head first to beat the throw from Ryan Spilborghs at the plate.
Back-to-back doubles by Swisher and Posada made it 6-0 in the sixth.
Most of that offense was unnecessary with Sabathia on the mound, though that's been the norm this season. His run-support average is the highest in the major leagues.
It helped that Rockies manager Jim Tracy seemed to concede defeat.
He took star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki out in the seventh inning, and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and leading hitter Todd Helton left the game in the eighth.
By then, the Rockies had squandered their best scoring opportunities.
Spilborghs led off the fifth with a double and reached third base before Sabathia wiggled out of trouble. In the sixth, Young and Helton opened with consecutive singles before Tulowitzki grounded into a double play and Jason Giambi went down swinging.
Cook wound up allowing six runs, five earned, on 12 hits in 5 2-3 innings.
NOTES: Derek Jeter (right calf) took 27 swings off a tee and 30 swings of soft toss Saturday at the Yankees' spring training complex. ... Rockies closer Huston Street was unavailable after saving Friday night's 4-2 win. Manager Jim Tracy said there was some soreness in Street's groin area. ... The series finale Sunday starts at 2:20 p.m. because of Old-Timers' Day. Lou Piniella, Joe Torre and Bernie Williams are scheduled to make their first appearances.
