IN TWO PARAGRAPHS: That one almost went off the script, didn’t it? CC Sabathia pitched into the eighth inning and seemed to be in control of the White Sox lineup, but he fatigued a bit in the eighth and yielded to David Robertson, who was completely ineffective. Robertson allowed two inherited runs to score and two of his own as Chicago enjoyed a four-run eighth, but Mariano Rivera recorded a four-out save to preserve a 6-5 Yankees victory.
It was Mo’s first four-out save since July 24, 2011, and completed a three-game sweep of the White Sox for the Yanks, who have won nine of their last 10 home games going into a crucial four-game series with the Red Sox. Robinson Cano homered and Brett Gardner dropped a two-run triple into left field that supported Sabathia, who has won four of his last five starts.
MANAGER’S TAKE: “We brought in guys that have done the job all year, and they eventually got it done. But it probably got a little closer than all of us liked.” – Joe Girardi
QUOTES…
“In some situations, I have to do that. Tonight was one of them. It doesn’t matter, as long as we get it done. You get a win tonight, and we had the lead and we just had to hold it.” – Rivera, on four out saves
“That’s definitely what I don’t want to do. I don’t want to come into a game like that, turn around and make it to where it’s a one-run ballgame. I stunk out there and Mo had to come pick me up. It happens. You pitch in 65, 70 games a year, you’re going to have a couple bad ones. Tonight was one of them.” – Robertson
“It’s important. Doesn’t matter who you’re playing, we’ve got a lot of games coming up against teams in our division, teams that we’re fighting against to make the playoffs. It’s a big time of the year, and hopefully we can keep playing good baseball.” – Gardner
“I mean, right now we’re behind the Red Sox and some other teams. We’ve just got to forget about them and win games. You’ve just got to go out and play hard and give everything you’ve got. Let’s see what happens at the end of the month.” – Cano
NOTES…
Sorry, Erik Johnson. The Yankees won for the fifth straight time when facing a starting pitcher making his Major League debut. They’re 8-8 in such games since 2000 … This was Sabathia’s longest outing since Aug. 7, also against the White Sox and also 7 1/3 innings … Cano’s homer was the 203rd of his career, surpassing Bill Dickey for 15th place on the franchise all-time list … seven of Gardner’s last 10 hits are for extra bases … Robertson had retired his last 25 batters faced with the bases before Josh Phegley’s eighth-inning single.
ON DECK
It’s a showdown in the Bronx as the Red Sox come to town for a four-game series. Ivan Nova (8-4, 2.88) has the ball for the Yanks, opposite Jake Peavy (11-5, 3.91), with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET on YES and MLB Network.
