HOUSTON — With Yangervis Solarte at the plate in the top of the ninth in Thursday night’s 4-2 win against the Astros, the umpiring crew initiated a video replay to determine the count of the at-bat.
The umpires verified the 3-1 count after Astros catcher Carlos Corporan appeared to question it.
“The catcher thought it was 2-1, maybe,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “The umpires had it right. They did the right thing by checking. If you had it wrong and you didn’t check, you look foolish.”
After the review, Solarte walked on the next pitch.
The first thought when Jacoby Ellsbury’s name was missing from the top of the Yankees’ lineup card centered on the right calf that cost him a large chunk of time in spring training.
Yet Girardi was simply being careful with the $153 million investment by not starting him against Astros lefty Brett Oberholtzer.
“I figured if I was going to give him a day off, it would be against a lefty,” said Girardi, who also rested Brian McCann.
The opener on Tuesday marked Ellsbury’s first game since he last appeared in a big league exhibition game March 14. That, combined with the Yankees opening the season with 13 straight games, figured into Girardi’s thinking.
“With the schedule we have, I have to be a little proactive,” Girardi said.
Ellsbury entered the game in center field in the eighth inning when Gardner went to left.
“He let me know [Wednesday] night,” Ellsbury said of Girardi’s decision. “I will be ready Friday.”
Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter will be part of the Yankees’ home opener Monday against the Orioles.
Rivera and Pettitte will throw out the ceremonial first pitches, with Posada and Jeter catching them.
It’s the Yankees’ 112th home opener.
Pettitte and Rivera will be honored with the “Pride of the Yankees Award” at the homecoming dinner Monday night.
The Nationals had a scout in Houston on Thursday, but not necessarily to watch Francisco Cervelli catch with the intention of trying to get him in a deal. The Nationals lost catcher Wilson Ramos to a broken hand but will try to fill the void from within.
Washington is not interested in John Ryan Murphy or Austin Romine.