Magic Mike
Suddenly consistent Pineda bests Sale
For so long, it appeared Michael Pineda might never fulfill the potential he displayed during his 2011 rookie season in Seattle, appearing in only 13 games during an injuryplagued first three seasons in New York.
But with the Yankees closing in on their first playoff appearance in three years, Pineda is again finding the form that had him pegged for the front of the rotation.
For the second straight outing following a tough loss, Pineda came through with a stellar performance, allowing one run through six innings of a 32 win over the White Sox at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. Pineda (128) won consecutive starts for the first time since June 1 and ended a six-start winless drought in The Bronx, striking out six and walking none while outduel ing Chicago ace Chris Sale.
Pineda, who missed nearly all of August with a forearm injury, threw 89 pitches (70 strikes), keeping him below 100 pitches in each of his six starts since returning from the disabled list.
Though Pineda understands Joe Girardi is just trying to protect him, the 26yearold wasn’t pleased when the hook came Thursday.
“I wanted to keep pitching,” Pineda said. “I wanted to pitch in the seventh inning, especially when I was feeling very good. … I want to get longer in the game and help the bullpen. I feel very strong.
“I really wanted to go to the seventh, but he had control of the situation.”
Pineda started strong, carrying the momentum from 5 ¹/₃ scoreless innings thrown against the Mets over the weekend.
The righthander retired the first four batters on Thursday and didn’t find trouble until allowing three singles in the third inning. With the game still scoreless and the bases loaded, Pineda struck out cleanup hitter Trayce Thompson to end the inning.
“Probably the best thing he did was he pitched out of some jams,” Girardi said. “He made some big pitches when he had to. … He just seemed to take it up another level. He made some really good pitches.”
Protecting a threerun lead, Pineda gave up another two singles in the fifth to put runners at the corners with one out, but the Yankees escaped unscathed after Pineda forced two straight groundouts. Pineda’s lone run surrendered came on a Thompson home run to lead off the sixth inning.