Yankees 2, Orioles 0
NEW YORK -- Ivan Nova pitched a three-hitter for his second career complete game and the New York Yankees stretched their home winning streak to six games with a 2-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon.
Robinson Cano drove in both runs for the Yankees, who won for the 14th time in 20 games and moved within four games of the American League's second wild card spot. Cano had a one-out RBI double in the first inning and added his 25th home run in the eighth inning.
Nova (8-4) allowed a single to Matt Wieters in the second inning, a two-out single to Manny Machado in the fourth and a leadoff infield hit to Nate McLouth in the ninth. He put six men on base overall as he hit Adam Jones and Chris Davis with pitches and walked J.J. Hardy in the eighth.
Otherwise, it was another strong day for Nova, who is 4-0 over his last six starts and 7-3 in 14 appearances since returning from a right triceps injury that cost him a month. He used his curveball to get five strikeouts, issued one walk, had two three-ball counts and recorded a pair of double plays.
Nova was at 77 pitches through seven innings and there was no action in the bullpen when he began the eighth. He opened the inning by walking Hardy on a full count after getting ahead 0-2, but two pitches later he retired Wilson Betemit on a double play. Then he fielded Brian Roberts' soft ground ball for the final out.
Both of Nova's complete games have been against Baltimore, and this one ended when he got through Davis and Jones. He retired Davis with his curveball by getting the slugger on a warning-track fly ball to right field and then finished off his 104-pitch outing by getting Jones on a first-pitch lineout to Jeter at shortstop.
The Yankees won on a day when Alex Rodriguez was a late scratch with flu-like symptoms.
The Orioles lost for the 11th time in 17 games despite getting a solid showing from Feldman (4-4), who allowed one run and six hits in seven innings.
NOTES: OF Michael Morse officially joined the Orioles after being acquired from the Seattle Mariners in a waiver deal Friday. To create a spot for Morse, INF/OF Steve Pearce was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left wrist tendinitis. .... Soriano made his seventh start as a designated hitter. ... In a pregame ceremony, the Yankees recognized United States Army Staff Sgt. Ty Michael Carter, who received the Medal of Honor earlier this week for his heroism in Afghanistan on Oct. 3, 2009.
