A dominant C.C. Sabathia struck out nine in six innings to help the New York Yankees overpower the Texas Rangers 5-1 in a rain-shortened American League game on Friday.
“That’s about as good as we’ve seen him,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. “C.C.’s a strike machine.”
The left-hander (2-0) allowed just three hits and walked none, striking out six in a row at one point.
PHOTO: EPA
“He really knows how to use his pitches,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Sabathia, who threw 73 pitches, 58 for strikes. “He knew when to bury it. He’s a smart pitcher.”
Sabathia, who had a no-hitter for more than seven innings in his previous start, said he was taking advantage of the Rangers’ poor discipline.
“They swing at a lot [of pitches] early in the count,” he said. “They were hacking.”
Play was halted after the sixth inning because of rain and the game was called after an hour’s delay.
The Yankees broke open the contest in the fourth inning, scoring three runs, with two coming off a throwing error by Rangers first baseman Chris Davis.
With the bases loaded, Davis fielded Curtis Granderson’s grounder, but his throw to second base hit runner Nick Swisher and rolled into left field, allowing Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano to score.
Texas scored their run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Vladimir Guerrero.
The Yankees, who have won seven of their first 10 games, evened things up in the bottom of the inning when Derek Jeter scored on a passed ball.
After New York’s big fourth inning, Jeter drove in their final run in the sixth with a single.
C.J. Wilson (0-1) pitched the entire game for the Rangers. He allowed seven hits, while striking out five and walking three.
Angels 7, Blue Jays 5
In Toronto, Kendry Morales homered and Jered Weaver continued his mastery over Toronto with seven strong innings as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Blue Jays.
Vernon Wells, Randy Ruiz and Adam Lind homered for Toronto, but it wasn’t enough as Weaver improved to 6-1 with a 2.93 ERA in seven career starts against the Blue Jays. Weaver allowed two runs and five hits in seven-plus innings. He walked none and struck out eight.
Weaver’s strong outing spoiled Shaun Marcum’s first home start for Toronto since Sept. 16, 2008, when he left two innings into a game against Baltimore with tightness in his forearm. Marcum missed the rest that season and all of last season after ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow.
Marcum (0-1) allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out six.
Friday’s other results:
• Indians 6, White Sox 2
• Rays 1, Red Sox 1
• Twins 10, Royals 3
• Mariners 11, Tigers 3
AP, PHILADELPHIA
Roy Halladay pitched eight strong innings in a soggy home debut, while Chase Utley hit his fifth homer in four games as the Philadelphia Phillies held on for an 8-6 victory over the Florida Marlins on Friday night.
Halladay ended Jorge Cantu’s major league-record streak of 10 games with at least one hit and one RBI, while Dan Uggla hit a solo shot for Florida.
Pitching in a steady rain, Halladay shrugged off the conditions and allowed two runs and eight hits. He threw 100 pitches, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.
Florida took advantage of three infield hits to score four runs off David Herndon in the ninth inning, before Ryan Madson got the two outs for his third save in three tries.
Utley has connected in four straight games and has six homers this season. Placido Polanco also went deep for Philadelphia, who have won eight of their first 10.
Cubs 7, Astros 2
In Chicago, Derrek Lee hit a three-run homer and Carlos Silva pitched seven strong innings to lead the Cubs.
Ryan Theriot drove in the go-ahead run for the Cubs with a seventh-inning squeeze and Kosuke Fukudome added a sacrifice fly, before Lee capped the six-run inning by hitting Jeff Fulchino’s 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his third home run of the season.
Silva allowed five hits, no walks and no earned runs in his second straight stellar start.
Felipe Paulino allowed only one run and four hits through six innings, before Marlon Byrd doubled leading off the seventh inning.
Alfonso Soriano followed with a double to tie it at 2-2.
Friday’s other results:
• Cardinals 4, Mets 3
• Nationals 5, Brewers 3
• Pirates 4, Reds 3
• Braves 9, Rockies 5
• Dodgers 10, Giants 8
• Padres 6, Diamondbacks 3
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