After scoring six runs combined in their first two games against the Los Angeles Angels, the New York Yankees were still awaiting the arrival of their offense.
Sunday night, the Yankees (5-4) finally found their bats, riding two hits apiece from Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira and Raul Ibanez to an 11-5 win over the Angels (3-6) at Yankee Stadium on Jackie Robinson Day. Ivan Nova took the mound for his second start of the season, allowing eight hits and four runs in 6.0 innings of work. Nova struck out eight batters while walking just two, and his ERA now lies at 4.15 for the season.
The win brings the Yankees into a three-way tie with the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the American League East.
Los Angeles sent Jerome Williams to the mound, but he last just 2.2 innings as the Yankees pounced early with one run in the second inning and four in the third. After Angels designated hitter Mark Trumbo homered off Nova in the second, the Yankees responded as Ibanez singled home Cano in the second half of the frame, after the second baseman hit a single of his own. Hisanori Takahashi came in for Williams and pitched two innings in relief.
Nova struck out the side in the third, and then the Yankees needed just three hits to score their four third-inning runs. Brett Gardner walked and Jeter doubled him to third before a groundout by Curtis Granderson advanced both, scoring Gardner. Alex Rodriguez singled home Jeter, and and after Cano walked, Teixeira doubled to right. A sacrifice fly from Nick Swisher then brought Cano home from third base.
Los Angeles went 1-2-3 again in the top of the fourth, and then Jeter put three more runs on the board with a homer that also scored Russell Martin and Gardner. Jeter went 2-for-5, raising his batting average to a team-high .366.
In the fifth, a Chris Iannetta homer brought the Angels to within 8-3. One inning later, a double from Maicer Izturis scored Trumbo, who had walked one at-bat prior.
Two innings later, Rafael Soriano came in for Nova. Three batters later, Albert Pujols singled home Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, making the score 8-5. Pujols went 1-for-5 on the night, bringing his average to .243.
In the bottom of the seventh, Cano singled and then stole second before scoring on a single by Swisher. Jason Isringhausen was brought in for David Carpenter, who pitched two innings. His first batter was Ibanez, who hammered a sinker on a 2-1 count 415 feet to the upper deck in right field, scoring Swisher and extending New York's lead to 11-5.
David Robertson came in for Soriano at the beginning of the eighth, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing just one hit. Boone Logan then pitched the ninth, striking out the side with a walk to Torii Hunter in between.
See Pinstripe Alley for complete discussion and analysis of the Yankees.