Moyer, 49, becomes oldest winner; CC gets his groove back for Yankees

DENVER (Reuters) – Jamie Moyer became the oldest pitcher to win a major league game on Tuesday when the 49-year-old guided the Colorado Rockies to a 5-3 win over San Diego.

Moyer, who made his major league debut in 1986, threw seven innings and allowed two runs to reach the milestone.

At 49 years and 150 days old, Moyer surpassed Jack Quinn of the former Brooklyn Dodgers, who previously set the mark for oldest winner at 49 years and 70 days in 1932.

“For me to put that in front of the game really would be unfair to my teammates, unfair to myself,” the humble left-hander told reporters.

“It would tell me also that my focus and my attention were in the wrong place.”

Moyer took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning but allowed two runs and had a man on third base before getting the third out.

“For a guy to persevere and to still have the talent to be able to perform, I think it’s a tremendous compliment to him as a professional athlete,” said Padres manager Bud Black.

Yankees 8, Twins 3

NEW YORK – Sometime during the New York Yankees’ lengthy four-run third inning on Tuesday night, pitching coach Larry Rothschild dispensed some key advice to CC Sabathia.

“It wasn’t anything extraordinary,” Rothschild said. “He basically got on top of the ball.”

Yet, that one little reminder had triggered something in Sabathia.

“Once he said that, everything kind of clicked,” said TAMPA BAY RAYS third baseman Evan Longoria throws wildly to first on a ball hit by Toronto Blue Jays’ Eric Thames during the sixth inning of the Jays 7-3 home victory on Tuesday night. The two-time gold-glove winner had three errors in the loss. the lefty ace, whose first victory of the year also required a boost by backup catcher Chris Stewart.

The Yankees’ No. 9 hitter, Stewart had a career-high three RBI and Brett Gardner reached base off all four plate appearances, scoring three runs in a win against the Twins.

Stewart’s sharp, two-run single off starter Francisco Liriano gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead in the third. Andruw Jones added his second homer of the year in the fourth off reliever Matt Maloney, and Derek Jeter contributed an RBI single in the fifth.

The Twins (3-8) would get only one hit after the third inning.

With one out in the eighth, Sabathia exited to a standing ovation – something that didn’t seem likely back in the third inning, with the Twins leading, 3-1.

Sabathia (1-0) threw 60 pitches during the first three innings. And his 60th was hit for a sinking liner by Josh Willingham – robbed of a hit on Gardner’s charging, diving catch with a man on first. Tuesday’s results NY YANKEES 8, Minnesota 3; WASHINGTON 1, Houston 0; TORONTO 7, Tampa Bay 3; Texas 18, BOSTON 3; ATLANTA 9, NY Mets 3; MIAMI 5, Chicubs 2; MILWAUKEE 5, LA Dodgers 4; Baltimore 3, CHISOX 2; Detroit 3, KANSAS CITY 1; ST. LOUIS 2, Cincinnati 1 (10); COLORADO 5, San Diego 3; Pittsburgh 5, ARIZONA 4; Oakland 5, LA ANGELS 3; Cleveland 9, SEATTLE 8; SAN FRANCISCO 4, Philadelphia 2.

Sabathia needed 30 pitches – and Gardner’s pretty play – to navigate through the third.

But, once he returned to the dugout, Sabathia heard Rothschild’s reminder to stay on top of his delivery.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” said Sabathia, who carted a 6.75 ERA into Tuesday’s start after subpar nodecisions at Tampa Bay and Baltimore.

Sabathia’s velocity Tuesday was lower than it had been during those last two starts, but “it helped me stay in my delivery and not overthrow.”

And the Yankees (5-5) desperately needed Sabathia to find that rhythm.

(The Record/mct)