Yankees 6, Giants 0
NEW YORK -- Ivan Nova pitched a six-hitter for the second shutout of his career, leading the New York Yankees to a 6-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
Eduardo Nunez and Alfonso Soriano hit home runs for the Yankees, who won for only the seventh time in 17 games.
New York (82-73) moved within 2½ games of the Cleveland Indians for the second wild card spot pending the Indians game against Houston on Saturday night.
Nova (9-5) came into the game with an 0-1 record and a 7.71 ERA over his previous three starts, but more closely resembled the pitcher who won the AL pitcher of the month in August, when he was 4-0.
Despite giving up two more hits than his first shutout three weeks ago against the Baltimore Orioles, Nova's pitch count was similar to that game.
Nova held the Giants hitless in 13 at-bats with men on base, and six of his seven strikeouts came with a runner on base.
Eleven of Nova's first 15 outs came on ground balls before he got three outs in the air in the sixth, including a long fly ball by Buster Posey to the warning track in right field.
Overall, Nova recorded 14 outs on the ground, three shy of his career high set as a rookie in 2011.
Nova finished off his third career complete game by striking out pinch hitter Johnny Monell with an 82 mph slider.
The Yankees put together a three-run third against San Francisco starter Ryan Vogelsong (3-6). Ichiro Suzuki hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly, Alex Rodriguez had an RBI groundout and Robinson Cano added a run-scoring single.
An inning later, the lead grew to 5-0 when Nunez sent a first-pitch fastball into the left field seats, scoring Curtis Granderson. It was Nunez's second home run of the season and first in 108 at-bats since Aug. 7 in Chicago.
Vogelsong allowed five hits and five runs over five innings.
NOTES: Mariano Rivera was honored by Engine Company 42 of the Bronx, as the firefighters presented him with a fire helmet bearing his No. 42. ... C Austin Romine missed the game and although he has been cleared to play following his Sept. 10 concussion, the Yankees said he might miss the rest of the season. ... San Francisco INF Joaquin Arias was held out of the lineup after injuring his left hamstring in the seventh inning Friday, and he will miss a few days.
