Derek Jeter couldn’t reach Delmon Young’s grounder up the middle in the top of the first and instead of bouncing into a double play, the Orioles had runners on the corners and no outs. Two batters later, Baltimore had a three-run lead.
Though that play seemed like it might loom large in Tuesday’s game, the pounding Ivan Nova took in his brief outing — as well as the rest of the pitching staff — made it seem almost irrelevant.
The Yankees were beaten up early and late in a 14-5 loss to the Orioles in The Bronx — and it wasn’t just Nova who was ineffective before an announced crowd of 35,864, but was much smaller in reality.
“They made a lot of noise with the bat,” Francisco Cervelli said. “And it’s one of the days where anybody who pitched is going to get hit.”
Indeed, both Nova and Vidal Nuno managed to give up seven runs in less than four innings of work, as the Yankees’ three-run rally in the fourth quickly became meaningless and the team allowed the most runs in a home game since Cleveland scored 14 on April 18, 2009.
“It wasn’t a good day,” said Nova, who was unable to keep his sinker down or find any sharpness to his curveball.
As Joe Girardi pointed out, “That’s not a very good combination for him, seeing as those are his two bread-and-butter pitches.”
It was the second straight start Nova struggled with his command. He managed to pitch into the sixth inning and pick up a win in Houston, but hardly had a chance against Baltimore.
Nova’s problems were just the beginning for the Yankees, who had Cervelli play his first game as a pro at first base, thanks in part to an injured Mark Teixeira. They also played with no clear-cut closer with David Robertson on the disabled list and Shawn Kelley unavailable after pitching Monday.
It almost brought back memories of 2013, when the Yankees were forced into all sorts of creative lineups, such as first baseman Lyle Overbay playing the outfield.
“There is no perfect roster,” Girardi said. “As much as you want to say that you can construct a perfect roster, it’s difficult. When you have some guys nicked up it becomes even harder.”
And just eight games into the season, that’s where the Yankees find themselves.
Despite Nova’s rough start, the Yankees briefly got back in the game with a three-run fourth to make it 7-4.
Alfonso Soriano started the rally with a leadoff homer and after Cervelli and Brian Roberts both singled, the streaking Yangervis Solarte delivered another run-scoring double. Brett Gardner followed with an RBI groundout, but Jeter was unable to continue the inning and Solarte was stranded at third.
An inning later, Jacoby Ellsbury’s attempt to get the Yankees closer was thwarted when he was also left at third following a double to start the frame. And the Yankees got no closer.
Nuno, pitching out of the bullpen, fell apart in the sixth, surrendering a two-run homer to Delmon Young before Matt Wieters added another run with a sacrifice fly and Nelson Cruz with a single.
“Today was just a reality check,” Nuno said.
In more ways than one.
They’ll turn to Masahiro Tanaka Wednesday to try to win the series before the Red Sox come to town.
“This was a rough one any way you look at it,” Brian McCann said. “We just didn’t play well.”