LDN - Sports

Pineda helps Yankees get past Astros

[July 26, 2016] HOUSTON -- Hours after the front office traded closer Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees relievers Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller handled their business as if Chapman had never donned pinstripes.

Right-hander Michael Pineda won a pitcher's duel with reigning Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and the Yankees eked out a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.

Pineda (5-9) allowed one run on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over seven innings. He dominated the Astros (54-45) primarily with his breaking ball and stole the thunder from Houston third baseman Alex Bregman, a ballyhooed prospect making his major league debut. Bregman went 0-for-4, struck out twice, and stranded six.

Pineda took a line drive off the bat of Preston Tucker on the shoulder in the third inning but calmly retrieved the ball and recorded the out. For the remainder of his outing, he appeared no worse for the wear.

"Right in my shoulder," Pineda said. "They asked me how did I feel and I said, 'I feel fine, I want to pitch.'"

After trading Chapman earlier on Monday, the Yankees returned to the Betances-Miller tandem that dominated last season. Betances struck out the side in the eighth inning before Miller earned his eighth save by inducing Carlos Gomez to hit into a game-ending double play.

"You're not asking a young kid to maybe step into something that he's never done before," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We still have a lot of experience down there."

Keuchel (6-10) was also exceptional, but the Yankees (51-48) moved a season-high three games over .500 with an eighth-inning rally against him ignited by the bottom of their order.

Austin Romine followed a leadoff single from Chase Headley with an RBI double to straightaway center field. Keuchel recovered to record his final two outs but the damage was done.

Keuchel surrendered two runs on six hits and did not issue a walk while striking out five batters over 7 2/3 innings. He allowed an RBI single to Headley in the fifth inning immediately after Didi Gregorius doubled with two outs to surrender his one-run lead.

"I felt like today was the first time even through this whole stretch that I was able to command both sides of the plate," Keuchel said. "Fastballs to both sides. The only thing lacking were a few sliders to Romine. Credit him for taking advantage of those."

For Bregman, the early portion of his debut featured nifty glove work at third base. It wasn't until the sixth that drama developed at the plate.

Bregman made a splendid backhanded stop to rob Mark Teixeira of a base hit in the second inning and smothered a ground ball from Aaron Hicks before starting an inning-ending double play to close the third.

After George Springer belted the first pitch in the bottom of the first over the right-field wall for his 22nd home run, Pineda settled in. Aside from Luis Valbuena (3-for-3 with a walk), Pineda did not allow a base runner until he loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth. He posted seven strikeouts between the second and sixth before finding trouble.

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Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda (35) pitches against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Bregman came to the plate following the Valbuena walk, but his long fly ball to right field died at the warning track and fell into Hicks' glove.

"I was kind of talking to it. Hoping, wishing it would go," Bregman said. "Worry about the next pitch, which is tomorrow."

NOTES: The Yankees traded LHP Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs for RHP Adam Warren and prospects Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford. Warren is expected to join the club in Houston, Torres and Crawford will be assigned to Single-A Tampa and McKinney will be assigned to Double-A Trenton. Chapman, who is 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in 21 save opportunities, said that he has not discussed a contract extension with the Cubs. ... Astros INF Alex Bregman made his major-league debut playing third base and batting sixth. Bregman, the top prospect in baseball according to Keith Law of ESPN, slashed .306/.406/.580 with 20 home runs and 61 RBIs in 80 games across two levels in the minors. ... Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez did not start against Astros LHP Dallas Keuchel. Rodriguez has been playing against southpaws only but Yankees manager Joe Girardi announced that Carlos Beltran would likely start all three games of the series. ... The Yankees recalled RHP Luis Severino from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he was 7-1 with a 3.25 ERA. Severino, who is 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA over seven starts with the Yankees this season, will pitch out of the bullpen.

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