MLB

Pettitte earns 200th win as a Yankee

Andy Pettitte turns 38 on Tuesday. He continues to pitch like he’s 28.

The veteran left-hander was magnificent again last night, beating the Astros 4-3 to improve to 8-1 this season and record his 200th career victory as a Yankee.

In the clubhouse after the game, Pettitte basked in his latest accomplishment, getting hugs from teammates, the game ball from Mariano Rivera and a phone call from another lefty legend, Ron Guidry.

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“It’s special,” Pettitte said. “There’s not a lot of guys who win that many games here, so it’s a good thing.”

He is the third Yankees pitcher to reach the 200-win mark, joining Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231).

Career win No. 237 came against the only other team he ever pitched for.

With another line added to his Yankees resume, the one hole is those three years he spent in Houston. But Pettitte does not question that move, pointing to the time spent with his kids and helping the Astros to the 2005 World Series.

“I don’t regret it,” Pettitte said. “I don’t. I felt like it was what I needed to do at that time, for the situation how it worked out here, not being able to come back here with the Yankees, and the way they were feeling at that time about me, I think.”

Pettitte overcame a shaky second inning, when he gave up two runs, but then settled in and set down 16 of 17 batters in the middle of the game. He allowed four hits and two earned runs in 71/3 innings.

“I’m not gonna lie, I was a little worried today,” Pettitte said. “I felt a little out of whack the first couple of innings, mechanically. I was overthrowing a little bit, which I haven’t done in awhile. So I was very glad to see I could just get back on track there in the third and fourth inning and get in a good rhythm.”

The Yankees offense spotted Pettitte a three-run lead with a first inning that included a bases-loaded walk to Nick Swisher by Astros starter Brett Myers and a two-run single from Francisco Cervelli.

They stretched the lead to 4-2 in the fifth inning when Mark Teixeira singled in Kevin Russo, who had worked a walk and stolen second.

Pettitte was replaced in the eighth inning by Joba Chamberlain, and the Astros got one unearned run in the frame when Derek Jeter made an error on a double-play ball.

Rivera closed the game out for his 15th save of the year and the 67th save of a Pettitte win, extending their all-time record.