The New York Yankees pick up first win and avoid sweep in Houston

The New York Yankees defeated the Houston Astros on Thursday night.  The final score was 4-2 and

the game took place at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.  Ivan Nova started and he battled

through the game without his best stuff.  The bullpen was very good and Ichiro Suzuki and Yangervis

Solarte led the offense. 

Nova pitched 5 2/3 innings giving up two runs and six hits.  He walked five and struck out on and picked up his first victory.  Adam Warren made his first appearance and pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings with two strikeouts, Shawn Kelley pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts and David Robertson picked up his first save with a 1-2-3 inning.  He had one strikeout. 

Oberholtzer started for the Astros and pitched 5 2/3 innings giving up five hits and three runs with a walk and five strikeouts.  He picked up the loss his first of the season, Brad Peacock pitched 3 1/3 innings giving up two hits and a run with three walks and four strikeouts. 

Brett Gardner had a hit, RBI and drew a walk, Derek Jeter had a hit, RBI and drew a walk and Carlos Beltran had an RBI.  Brian Roberts drew a walk, Suzuki had two hits and Solarte had three hits an RBI and drew a walk.  Solarte and Suzuki each hit a double and the Yankees were 3-7 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. 

Dexter Folwer had two hits and an RBI for Houston.  Jose Altuve had a hit, an RBI and drew a walk, Grossman had a hit and drew a walk and Presley and Villar each had a hit.  Villar hit a double, the Astros were 1-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.  Altuve had a stolen base and Presley had an outfield assist. 

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the first inning once again.  Altuve grounded into a forceout which scored a run.  In the third inning the Yankees scored two runs and took their first lead of the season.  Gardner hit an RBI single and Beltran hit a sacrifice fly.  It was 2-1 Yankees until the fifth when Jeter hit an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-1.  The Astros would get that run right back and cut the lead to 3-2.  Fowler hit an RBI single.  The Yankees would score the final run of the game in the seventh on a Solarte RBI single which was really a pop up in front of the mound that no one caught.  The final was 4-2 as Robertson closed it out easily for the Yankees first victory. 

The Yankees will head to Toronto and take on the Blue Jays in a three game weekend series.  Masahiro Tanaka will make his first start on Friday night and then Michael Pineda will make his first start on Saturday before the rotation turns back around with CC Sabathia on Sunday.