Sabathia solid to lead Yankees over Astros 6-3

It had been more than a month of five-run games and disappointing results But night after night, the Yankees kept saying the numbers didn’t reflect the quality of the pitches.

Second batter of the game hit a solo home run against Sabathia, one of three Astros home runs, two of them against the Yankees starter. The Astros are 4-1 in their last 5 during game 3 of a series and 5-2 in McCullers’ last 7 home starts.

The Astros have been the big league’s healthiest team in terms of days spent on the disabled list.

He or leaving Gonzalez there – and moving Bregman – were the options, Hinch said when he was asked about possibly using Preston Tucker or Evan Gattis at first base. Rodriguez, who is 4 for 31 with one home run in July, is batting.

From the very first inning Bregman put on a defensive display at third base, as he fielded a hard chopper from outfielder Carlos Beltran to end the inning. Andrew Miller worked the ninth inning for his ninth save and second in as many nights. Astros third baseman Luis Valbuena left in the second with a right hamstring strain. “Not knowing where that game was going, I felt comfortable with Castro going in”.

“I didn’t execute today”, Fister said. “I feel OK. But we’re going to see tomorrow how I’m going to feel”.

To punctuate how anemic the position has been, Adam Everett was the Astros career home run leader at short, despite hitting only 35 home runs in six years. Teixeira and Castro were particularly effective against Fister, combining to reach base six times and six plate appearances through the fifth.

Valbuena pulled up after hitting a grounder toward Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius, who was playing on the right side of second base in an infield shift.

The Yankees boosted the lead to 6-1 with three runs in the fifth, two of them scoring on Aaron Hicks’ two-out triple. “Basically, I let my team down”. New York’s pitchers had gone 6-1 with a 1.75 ERA over the previous nine games, and Sabathia joined the trend, giving up two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. “He gave up the homer earlier, similar to last night, and then he got to the seventh and gave up another home to Gattis – he got in the wrong count there – but his stuff was really good”. “But I think that (long relief) role is important”. “Just hit the ball up in the zone”.

“I’ve been doing everything I can and trying not to get frustrated”, he said.

Hinch said Bregman playing at third base was necessitated by Marwin Gonzalez’s ankle injury, which Gonzalez suffered in Sunday’s win over the Angels Hinch added the heralded prospect will play in left field, designated hitter and spelling Astros’ middle infielders.