WASHINGTON – Entering the 14th inning, the New York Yankees were 0 for 14 with runners in scoring position, and Washington Nationals teen sensation was Bryce Harper was 0 for 6 at the plate.
The Yankees got off their goose egg. Harper didn’t.
Mark Teixeira’s two-run double to the right-field corner made the difference Saturday as the Yankees won their eighth straight game, beating the Nationals 5-3.
Jayson Nix opened the 14th with an infield single, then stole second and advanced to third on Derek Jeter’s single to left. Jeter’s hit made the Yankees 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position, but Nix couldn’t score because he had to make sure the ball made it past the infield.
After Curtis Granderson struck out, Teixeira got the Yankees up to 2 for 16 with the double off Brad Lidge (0-1). It was Teixeira’s only hit on a day that started – seemingly long ago – with strikeouts in the first, third and fifth innings.
“Find a way to get it done, and that’s what our guys did,” manager Joe Girardi said. “To be honest, I was having a hard time remembering how we got our other three runs. It was so long ago.”
Freddy Garcia (1-2) pitched two innings.
Rafael Soriano earned his 12th save, but only after allowing consecutive one-out singles to Jesus Flores and Steve Lombardozzi. The game ended when Soriano got Harper to ground out, ending the rookie’s 0-for-7 day that included five strikeouts.
“I thought he was really amped up,” Washington manager Davey Johnson said. “I’ve never seen him swing at balls out of the zone. He was chasing balls. He got into that mode of trying to make something happen.”
One day after turning 40, Andy Pettitte gave up two runs and five hits over seven innings in his Nationals Park debut.
He particularly embarrassed Harper by getting the 19-year-old to strike out three times lunging at off-speed pitches in the lefty-vs.-lefty, old-vs.-young matchup.
TIGERS 4, ROCKIES 1: In Detroit, Doug Fister pitched six shutout innings in his return from the disabled list, Miguel Cabrera homered and also scored when Colorado misplayed his comebacker, as Detroit rolled. Fister (1-3) gave up three hits and struck out six.
PIRATES 9, INDIANS 2: In Cleveland, A.J. Burnett became the first Pittsburgh pitcher since 1990 to win six straight starts and Pedro Alvarez homered twice.
Cleveland’s Michael Brantley went 0 for 3 with a walk, halting the majors’ longest hitting streak this season at 22 games.
CARDINALS 10, ROYALS 7: In St. Louis, Matt Holliday homered and drove in five runs and Yadier Molina homered and drove in four to lead St. Louis to its third victory in four games.
Kansas City’s season high-tying four-game winning streak ended.
BLUE JAYS 6, PHILLIES 5, 10 inn.: In Toronto, Rajai Davis drove home the winning run with a two-out drive in the 10th inning that bounced over the wall as Toronto extended Cliff Lee’s winless streak to 11 starts.
Lee gave up five runs and 12 hits in seven-plus innings.
BREWERS 6, TWINS 2: In Minneapolis, Ryan Braun homered twice and Michael Fiers pitched seven strong innings to lead Milwaukee.
ATHLETICS 6, PADRES 4: In Oakland, Calif., Jonny Gomes’ two-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning powered Oakland. Carlos Quentin hit a home run for the Padres.
ORIOLES 5, BRAVES 0: In Atlanta, Jason Hammel pitched a one-hitter for his first career shutout, allowing only Jason Heyward’s two-out single in the seventh inning, and Baltimore beat Atlanta.
RANGERS 8, ASTROS 3: In Arlington, Texas, Nelson Cruz hit a towering three-run homer the pitch after Adrian Beltre’s two-run single, and Texas went on beat Houston, making Justin Grimm a winner in his major league debut.
