Yankees-Brewers Score: CC Sabathia Dominates In 5-0 New York Victory

CC Sabathia spent Thursday afternoon at Yankee Stadium reminding the Milwaukee Brewers what they have been missing since Sabathia left Milwaukee as a free agent after the 2008 season to sign with the New York Yankees.

Sabathia matched a career-high with 13 strikeouts and Mark Teixeira belted the 300th home run of his career as the Yankees blanked the Brewers, 5-0, to earn a three-game sweep. Sabathia (11-4) was dominant through 7 2/3 innings, scattering six hits and issuing just two walks.

Sabathia became the first 11-game winner in the majors this season. He has now earned victories in eight of his last nine outings.

Teixeira led off the third with his major league-leading 25th home run and Robinson Cano added a two-run double for the Yankees, who have won five straight and nine of 11.

Randy Wolf (6-5) allowed four runs on seven hits and three walk while striking out three.

Ryan Braun extended his hit streak to 20 games thanks to a 3-for-3 day at the plate.

-- Sports Network contributed to this report

All-Star Balloting About To Close, So Hurry Up And Vote

Milwaukee Brewers (44-37) At New York Yankees (47-31), 1:05 P.M.

The New York Yankees go for a three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday afternoon at Yankee Stadium (1:05 p.m.). They will do so with their ace, CC Sabathia, pitching against veteran left-hander Randy Wolf.

The red-hot Yankees have won four straight games and 14 of 18 since being swept by the Boston Red Sox June 7-9.

Sabathia, 10-4 with a 3.25 ERA, is tied for the major-league lead in victories. He has won eight of his last 10 decisions, with only a pair of losses to the Red Sox as blemishes.

At 47-31, the Yankees have the best record in the American League. Following Thursday's game the Yankees head to Citi Field for a three-game weekend series against the New York Mets that will conclude a stretch of 16 consecutive interleague games for the Yankees.

Sergio Mitre Is A Yankee Again -- Of Course

Sergio Mitre is a member of the New York Yankees again. Who did not see that coming? I warned you the other day that this was going to happen.

At LoHud, Chad Jennings called the deal the 'most predictable move ever." That is right on target.

If you follow the Yankees you had to know as soon as the Milwaukee Brewers designated Mitre for assignment earlier this week that he would be headed back to the Bronx. Now, that is a reality as the Yankees have re-acquired for nothing more than some good old-fashioned cash.

The Yankees did not have room for Mitre on their staff when the season opened, so they shipped him to Milwaukee for Chris Dickerson, a useful spare outfielder.

Mitre actually pitched well with the Brewers, compiling a 3.27 ERA and 1.212 WHIP in 22 relief appearances. When the Brewers decided to dump the 30-year-old journeyman is was only natural that the Yankees, whose bullpen has been ravaged by injuries and who have used a collection of guys like Buddy Carlyle (who just got released), Lance Pendleton and Amuari Sanit in relief would grab him.

Mitre has long been a favorite of Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Mitre pitched for Florida when Girardi was the Marlins' skipper, and Girardi was influential in bringing him to the Yankees, where he pitched in 39 games -- starting 12 -- in 2009 and 2010.

SB Nation's Jeff Sullivan scoffed as the move, writing "Mitre isn't much of a pitcher" and pointing to his 5.03 ERA over those two seasons. Mitre, though, did pitch to a 3.33 ERA in 2010 and was pitching well this season before Milwaukee DFA'd him.

Considering the collection of guys the Yankees have used this season who really don't belong in the big leagues this is a good move for New York. And one everyone should have seen coming from a mile away.

Sergio Mitre

#52 / Pitcher / Milwaukee Brewers

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Feb 16, 1981

Yankees-Brewers Score: New York Stays Hot With 5-2 Victory

Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Russell Martin clubbed the tie-breaking three-run homer in the fourth inning and Jorge Posada added a solo blast in the sixth, as the New York Yankees topped Milwaukee, 5-2, for their fourth straight victory.

The Yankees won 12-2 in the opener of this three-game set, and on Wednesday got a strong effort from A.J. Burnett. The right-hander pitched into the eighth inning to finally win at home after three straight losses at Yankee Stadium. Burnett (8-6) allowed seven hits, two runs, walked two and fanned four batters over seven-plus frames.

Mariano Rivera pitched the final inning for his 21st save as the Yankees posted their eighth victory in their last 10 interleague games.

"We've just played really well, executed well," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Ryan Braun went 3-for-4 and extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games with an RBI single in the opening inning, but the Brewers lost for the fifth time in their last six road games.

Shaun Marcum (7-3) suffered his first loss since May 27 against the Giants. He yielded five hits and four runs while fanning six over five innings to fall 1-5 lifetime against the Yankees.

Nyjer Morgan walked and stole second with one out in the first inning. Braun then singled to right field.

The Yankees wasted an opportunity with two men on base in the third when Alex Rodriguez struck out, but went ahead in the fourth. Robinson Cano tripled to center when Morgan went crashing into the wall. Nick Swisher followed with the tying single on a line drive to right field. After Posada singled to put men on the corners, Martin drilled an 0-2 pitch into the first row of seats over the wall in left.

"It's a great luxury because we feel we can get two- or three-run homers from anywhere in the lineup," Girardi said. "I think that's important."

The Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but came way with just one run, as Prince Fielder's fielder's choice plated Rickie Weeks. Corey Hart then grounded into a force play to end the inning, leaving it a 4-2 game.

"Burnett's got good stuff, he's got a real live fastball," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "He's got a great curveball. When he needed to, he threw that curveball in a good spot. We did have chances, we had guys on base."

Posada stepped up to the plate against Tim Dillard with one out in the bottom of the sixth and sent a ball off the top of the right field wall. Posada was jogging around the bases thinking he had a homer when Hart fired the ball back in to nab the runner. Umpires reviewed the play and reserved the call to a home run, as the ball caromed off the top of the wall and then off a fan before coming back onto the field.

David Robertson fanned Hart to end the top of the eighth, leaving runners at the corners.

Yankees News And Notes: Phil Hughes, Bartolo Colon

Some good news for the New York Yankees on the pitching front Wednesday. Phil Hughes was impressive in a seven-inning, 88-pitch shutout rehab stint Wednesday afternoon for Trenton. Hughes threw 61 strikes and was reportedly clocked around 93 to 94 miles per hour on numerous occasions. He struck out eight.

A report indicated that Hughes will make one more minor league rehab start before rejoining the Yankees.

"I felt like I was throwing more strikes today. Until the end I was commanding the baseball pretty well," Hughes said. "It was a good step."

There is also the possibility that veteran right-handed starting pitcher Bartolo Colon could rejoin the Yankees this weekend.

Colon has been out since June 11, when he strained his left hamstring covering first.

The interesting decision for the Yankees once Colon and Hughes return is which Yankee starter between Colon, Hughes, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia will end up in the bullpen.

Milwaukee Brewers (44-36) At New York Yankees (46-31), 7:05 P.M.

Historically, Shaun Marcum has been a pitcher the New York Yankees have knocked around like he was throwing batting practice. Marcum, a former Toronto Blue Jay, has a career record of 1-4 with a 6.55 ERA in 11 games, nine starts, against the Yankees.

Marcum, though, is having a terrific season for the Milwaukee Brewers with a 7-2 record and 2.95 ERA. He puts his present good pitching up against his spotty history against the Yankees Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. A.J. Burnett (7-6, 4.15 ERA) pitches for New York.

Will the good A.J. or the bad A.J. show up? Of late, the bad A.J. has been popping up more often, as he is just 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA in June.

The Yankees currently lead the American League East by 1.5 games over the Boston Red Sox, and their 46-31 record is the best in the AL. Philadelphia, leading the NL East with a 50-30 record, is the only team in baseball with a better record at this point.

Jesus Montero: Is It Time For Top Yankees' Prospect To Be ln The Majors?

-- See Pinstripe Alley for complete discussion of the Yankees

Yankees-Brewers Score: 12-2 Victory Extends New York's AL East Lead

The New York Yankees treated the Milwaukee Brewers rudely Tuesday night in Milwaukee's first visit to Yankee Stadium since moving to the National League in 1998, blasting the Brewers, 12-2.

The Yankees are now a season-best 15 games above .500 at 46-31. They lead the American League East by 1.5 games over the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are 26-12 since May 17, best record in the majors.

Nick Swisher's three-run homer highlighted a big second inning and Mark Teixeira -- who homered for the 24th time this year -- finished with four RBI. Freddy Garcia (7-6) scattered eight hits and was charged with a pair of runs over six innings

Milwaukee starter Zack Greinke (7-3) was pounded, allowing five hits and seven runs over two innings.

Greinke didn't have his control right from the start as he pegged lead-off hitter Brett Gardner. Curtis Granderson followed with a fly ball to center field. Nyjer Morgan slipped and the ball landed next to him for a triple. Granderson then scored on Teixeira's groundout.

"We just kept putting good at-bats on him," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Greinke. "I thought our guys just did a nice job of moving runners over and not try to do too much."

New York loaded the bases later in the first when McGehee failed to tag out Rodriguez at third after making a diving stop on a ground ball. However, Russell Martin flied out to end the inning.

The Yankees then blew the game open with a five-run second. Gardner and Eduardo Nunez pulled off a double steal, and Teixeira followed with an RBI groundout. Rodriguez walked prior to Robinson Cano's RBI single to center. Swisher then turned on a 2-0 fastball down the middle and homered to right field.

The series continues Wednesday with A.J. Burnett pitching for the Yankees and Shaun Marcum for Milwaukee.

-- Sports Network contributed to this report

Milwaukee Brewers (44-35) At New York Yankees (45-31), 7:05 P.M.

(Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Brewers head to the Bronx for the first time since moving to the National League this evening when they start a three-game interleague set with the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Milwaukee, of course, played in the American League up until 1998 when it joined the Senior Circuit, These teams did meet for a three-game set at Miller Park in 2005 with the Brewers taking two of three.

That trend could continue tonight, as the Brewers send former AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke to the hill in search of his seventh winning decision in eight tries.

The Brewers enter tonight's matchup holding a three-game lead in the NL Central thanks in part to sweeping the Minnesota Twins over the weekend.

New York, meanwhile, is also rolling at the moment and holds a half-game edge on the Boston Red Sox in the AL East following a series win over the Colorado Rockies this past weekend. The Yankees won Sunday's rubber match, as Nick Swisher, Jorge Posada and Mark Teixeira all homered in a 6-4 win.

Tonight, the Yankees turn to veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia, who is 6-6 with a 3.30 ERA. Garcia won for the fourth time in six starts on Wednesday in Cincinnati, as he held the Reds to two unearned runs and three hits in seven innings.

Garcia has lost both of his starts against the Brewers, but has only allowed five runs in 13 1/3 innings of those outings.

Derek Jeter: When Will He Return To Yankees? Where Will He Hit?

Ah, the questions. When will shorstop Derek Jeter return to the New York Yankees? Where will he hit in the lineup? If he leads off when he returns from the disabled list, does he stay there once he reaches 3.000 hits?

Jeter, 37, is eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. That isn't going to happen. Jeter is running, throwing and taking batting practice as he works to come back from the calf strain that sidelined him, but he won't be ready by Wednesday. Will he be ready by the weekend, when the Yankees are at Citi Field to take on the New York Mets? Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he has "no idea."

Jeter is six hits away from 3,000 and chasing the historic hit at Citi Field would add some excitement to the Subway Series.

As for the other question, the 'where will he hit in the lineup?' question, manager Joe Girardi has been firm in stating that Jeter will stay in the leadoff spot once he returns. Once he gets there, though, all bets are off. There has been an increasing clamor for speedy young left fielder Brett Gardner to lead off with Jeter dropping to the bottom third of the order. Gardner is deserving of the clamor, having hit .347 this month with a .420 on-base percentage and six stolen bases.

Inevitably, Jeter will be moved down in the order. His former manager, Joe Torre, said he will handle it fine.

"It’s somebody else’s decision, and I’m sure Derek would tell them that," Torre said. "Just because you don’t necessarily like something doesn’t mean you’re not going to do it. That’s our job.

"He’s always respected what the uniform stood for, and the people who made the decisions."

No doubt, Jeter won't like it when the Yankees tell him it is time to move aside for Gardner in the No. 1 hole and Curtis Granderson at No. 2. The time is coming when he will find out for sure exactly how the Yankee Captain will handle the move.

Yankees Vs. Brewers: Getting To Know Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers invade Yankee Stadium Tuesday night for the first time since moving to the National League in 1998. The Yankees and Brewers begin a three-game series with former AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Grienke (7-2, 4.77 ERA) facing Freddy Garcia (6-6, 3.30).

Let's try to get to know a little bit about the Brewers, who -- at least for me -- have been mostly out of sight and out of mind for years now. Here are a few facts about Milwaukee.

• Former Yankee reliever LaTroy Hawkins will be in the Milwaukee bullpen, and Hawkins has been nearly unhittable this season. He has posted a miniscule 0.47 ERA this season, having given up just one earned run in 19.1 innings pitched. Thinking about Hawkins annoys me. He was pretty good before coming to the Yankees, terrible in 33 games with New York (a 5.71 ERA) and -- when healthy -- has been mostly spectacular since leaving the Yankees. 
• Former Yankee Sergio Mitre, however, will not be in uniform for the Brewers Tuesday. Mitre, a Yankee in 2009 and 2010 before being dealt to Milwaukee for outfielder Chris Dickerson, was designated for assignment on Monday. He was 0-1 with a solid 3.38 ERA in 21 games. Which makes you wonder if a return to the Bronx might be in the future for Mitre. The Yankees have been collecting arms like Cory Wade, Brian Gordon and Carlos Silva, and Yankee fans know manager Joe Girardi likes Mitre.
• The Brewers are 44-35 and lead the NL Central by three games over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers just swept a three-game series from the sinking ship known as the Minnesota Twins.
• Remember Erick Almonte? Yes, that Erick Almote -- the guy who played 31 games at shorstop for the Yankees in 2003 after Derek Jeter suffered an Opening Day shoulder injury. Now 33, Almonte surfaced in the big leagues for the first time since that 2003 stint for 16 games before suffering a concussion and landing on the disabled list April 26. He is now back in AAA. Almonte hit just .103 in 29 at-bats with Milwaukee.
• The Brewers are led offensively by Prince Fielder (.305/21/68/.426) and Ryan Braun (.308/16/59/.390).