Pittsburgh, PA (Best E Casino) - Joba Chamberlain was effective in 6 2/3 innings on the mound to pick up his first win as a starter, and the
New York Yankees crushed the
Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-0, in the middle contest of a three-game interleague set from PNC Park.
Chamberlain (2-2) allowed six hits and fanned seven while walking just one for the Yankees, who bounced back from a 12-5 loss Tuesday to win for the ninth time in 12 games.
Bobby Abreu had three hits, including a double and a three-run home run, driving in four runs. Derek Jeter had three hits, including a pair of doubles and an RBI, while Robinson Cano went 3-for-5 with a solo homer, all part of New York's 16-hit attack.
"It was good, we started the game with a lot of intensity," Abreu said. "Last night we didn't play the game right and today we started with intensity. We started to concentrate on everything, we scored some runs early and Joba did such a good job."
Zach Duke (4-5) took the loss as he was touched for four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits in five innings. Jack Wilson was 3-for-3 and Ryan Doumit had two hits for the Pirates, losers in five of their last eight games.
The Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the first. Jeter connected on a one-out double, Abreu singled and Alex Rodriguez walked to load the bases before Jason Giambi grounded into what looked like an inning-ending, 3-6-3 double play. After recording the out at second though, Wilson botched the relay to first which allowed two runs to score.
New York made it 3-0 in the third inning. Jeter singled to lead off the frame and advanced to second as Wilson again botched the throw to first. Abreu moved Jeter to third with a groundout and Giambi brought him home with a two-out soft liner that dropped just in front of a diving Nyjer Morgan in right field.
"He (Chamberlain) was throwing 97-98 with a good breaking pitch," Wilson said. "He's got real good stuff. This is a tough team and I opened the door with a couple of errors for them and they took advantage of it. You can't let this team do that."
Justin Christian bunted his way on to begin the fourth inning and Chamberlain moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt. Melky Cabrera then lined out, but Jeter crushed his second double of the night off the wall in left-center in an effort to plate Christian and give the Yankees a 4-0 cushion.
TJ Beam took the hill for Pittsburgh in the sixth and Cano greeted him by depositing his fourth pitch into the bleacher seats in right-center field. Two batters later, Cabrera drew a walk and stole second base. Jeter earned a free pass and Abreu made it 8-0 with a homer to right.
Wilson connected on a two-out single and pinch-hitter Doug Mientkiewicz also had a base hit, chasing Chamberlain in favor of Ross Ohlendorf in the seventh. Morgan then went down swinging for the final out.
Franquelis Osoria was on the mound for the Pirates in the eighth and gave up singles to Wilson Betemit and Cabrera. Alberto Gonzalez, pinch-hitting for Jeter, made it first and third as he flied out to center. Abreu made it 9-0 with a double to right field.
Cabrera singled in Christian in the ninth.
Game Notes
On the injury front for the Yankees, left fielder Hideki Matsui missed Tuesday and Wednesday's tilt with a sore knee and a stiff neck. Johnny Damon, meanwhile, got treatment on his sore foot and was available to pinch-hit Wednesday but did not...Jeter has now reached base safely in 49 consecutive interleague games...Christian's run in the fourth was the first of his career...The win marks the sixth time the Yankees have shut their opponent out...Cano now has two consecutive three-hit games...Pittsburgh acquired pitcher Denny Bautista from Detroit in exchange for pitcher Kyle Pearson and released outfielder Kevin Thompson prior to Wednesday's game.
