OAKLAND, Calif. — David Phelps grew up as a pitcher Friday night. Just in time.
Phelps has watched closely as Chase Whitley has gone from Nowhere to Somewhere in the young rotation the Yankees have put together that, in the words of Mark Teixeira, has kept the Yankees afloat.
Michael Pineda appears to be out indefinitely with the lingering shoulder strain, so the Yankees will need Phelps in the rotation.
But Phelps needed a statement game to really earn his role.
The right-hander had lost his last four starts and was getting crushed along the way, surrendering 18 earned runs and 30 hits over 24 ²/₃ innings.
Phelps is a smart kid. He went to Notre Dame. It was time to learn from the success of rookies Masahiro Tanaka and Whitley: work quickly, throw strikes and let your fielders take care of business.
That is exactly what happened Friday night at a sold-out O.co Coliseum as the Yankees beat Sonny Gray and the first-place A’s, 7-0, and Phelps picked up his second win of the season.
A link on the pitching chain was strengthened.
“This was definitely one of the best starts of my career,’’ Phelps said after going 6 ²/₃ innings, allowing only two hits, walking three and striking out four. “I was attacking guys.’’
Phelps is going to continue to get starts because of injuries to CC Sabathia (knee) and Pineda, but Phelps needed this type of performance to show the Yankees what he is capable of doing as a starter — but more importantly, to show David Phelps what he is capable of.
The Yankees jumped on Gray for two quick runs in the first inning as Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter and Jacoby Ellsbury all singled for the first run and then a sacrifice fly by Teixeira scored the second run. Gardner’s RBI single in the second set it up for Phelps, a 3-0 early lead.
Make the most of it.
Phelps did not surrender a hit until there was one out in the fifth, when Derek Norris knocked a little jam shot over third. Phelps had surrendered a one-out walk so he had his first danger of the night.
Here is where Phelps took a page out of Whitley’s book and put his outfielders to work. Andy Parrino lined a ball into right-center that had just enough loop to it for Ellsbury to run down. The catch was a bit tricky because right-fielder Ichiro Suzuki was coming hard but veered out of the way at the last second, clearing room for Ellsbury.
Phelps went right after Kyle Blanks, getting a ground ball to third for a force out at second.
Threat avoided.
Then in the sixth inning, with the Yankees maintaining that 3-0 lead, Phelps walked leadoff hitter Coco Crisp. Before the doubts of the last four starts could begin to creep into Phelps’ mind, he got John Jaso to ground to first. Teixeira backhanded the ball nicely and fired to second. Phelps, hustling all the way, covered first base and made an excellent stretch for the double play.
At that point Phelps showed his glove to the umpire.
“I was excited,’’ Phelps said. One ground out later and the inning was over.
“I talked with a couple [teammates] today and my goal was first pitch strikes and leadoff outs,’’ Phelps said. “You saw what Chase did [Thursday]. He threw 24-of-29 first-pitch strikes. That’s amazing, that’s what we strive to do.’’
Phelps retired the first two batters of the seventh and then gave up a double to Jed Lowrie and gave way to Dellin Betances.
“This start was important to him,’’ Girardi said. “He had been pretty frustrated with his last couple starts. He had better command [Friday] night.’’
Phelps had been 15-15 over 30 career starts for the Yankees. The Yankees, who are 18-10 on the road this season, had been 0-5 in Phelps’ road starts this year.
Phelps really earned his spot in the rotation Friday night. It was time.