Pineda strikes out 16 in Yankees’ win
Michael Pineda knew right after he threw his first slider he was going to have a great day. It took a few more innings before he realized how special.
“In the fourth inning, I finally go, ‘Oh, this is going to be good,’ ” said Pineda, who smiled and giggled his way through the postgame interview.
Really good.
Pineda struck out a career-high 16 in seven dominant innings Sunday and Carlos Beltran hit his first homer of the season, leading the Yankees to a 6-2 victory over Baltimore.
Throwing nice and easy with pink sleeves peeking out from under his pinstriped jersey on Mother’s Day, Pineda overpowered an Orioles team that went bust in its week in the Big Apple. Baltimore lost three of four in the Bronx after being swept in two games by the Mets in Queens.
Pineda (5-0) matched David Cone and David Wells for the second-most strikeouts in a game by a Yankees pitcher. Ron Guidry had 18 in 1978.
“That’s as good as we’ve seen,” said manager Joe Girardi, who caught both Wells’ and Cone’s efforts in 1997. “He recorded 21 outs and 16 of ’em strikeouts.”
The 16 strikeouts were the most by the Orioles against one pitcher in a nine-inning game, according to STATS.
J.J. Hardy, who homered, was the only Baltimore player who did not fan against Pineda.
“It’s really tough to pick up his delivery. When guys like that are on, it’s really tough on hitters,” Hardy said. “Very deceptive.”
Oh, baby!
A daring dad made the play of the day on Mother’s Day in Philadelphia, snagging a hard foul ball with his 7½-month-old son strapped to his chest.
Phillies fan Mike Capko caught the souvenir with his left hand while sitting in the second deck behind home plate.
The 30-year-old Capko said it was the first foul ball he’d ever caught and that it was the infant’s first game.
Capko flexed his arms in a muscle pose after the grab as the crowd roared and wife Alyssa smiled.
“I’m still shaking,” she said.
Uncomfortable change
Joining the struggling Boston Red Sox in midseason is “a bit of an uncomfortable situation” for new pitching coach Carl Willis.
Willis, who was hired Saturday, had been working as pitching coach for Cleveland’s Triple-A team in Columbus and was previously the pitching coach for Cleveland and Seattle. He takes over after Juan Nieves was fired Thursday.
Boston’s 5.04 team ERA entering play Sunday was the worst in the A.L.
“It’s going to take a little while for me to get up to speed,” Willis said. “I’ve asked them for a little bit of patience to allow me that time and I will connect with them.”
Clearing the bases
Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton went 1 for 3 with a single and two strikeouts as he started a rehab stint with Triple-A Round Rock at Nashville. Former Cy Young winner Barry Zito struck Hamilton out twice. … Oakland right-hander Jarrod Parker, recovering from Tommy John surgery more than a year ago, broke a bone in his elbow throwing a pitch during a minor league game. … David Price’s next start is being pushed back two days as the Detroit left-hander recovers from a right hamstring strain.