I like you, Shane Greene.
In his first career Major League start, Shane Green looked pretty good. In his second, he looked even better. Greene pitched 7.1 shutout innings, striking out nine, as the Yankees beat the Orioles 3-0.
After two scoreless innings, the Yankess got on the board in the third. Francisco Cervelli led off the inning with a single. Brett Gardner then grounded into a force out at second, but was too quick to get doubled up at first. Derek Jeter then singled, putting two on with one out. After a Jacoby Ellsbury strike out, Mark Teixeira doubled, scoring Gardner. Jeter was also sent home but he was thrown out at the plate. Despite that, the Yankees had a 1-0 lead.
Greene didn't allow a hit for the first 4.2 innings, but he got in a bit of trouble after allowing his first. Manny Machado got the Orioles' first hit with a two-out single in the fifth. Ryan Flaherty then also singled, moving Machado to third. During Nick Hundley's at bat, Flaherty stole second, putting the go-ahead run at second. Green battled with Hundley but eventually struck him out to preserve the Yankees' lead.
The next inning, Greene again escaped a jam. He allowed hits to Nick Markakis and Steve Pearce. Greene got Adam Jones to ground into a double play and struck out Nelson Cruz to, again, get out of the inning damage-free.
In the top of the seventh, the Yankees picked up a pair of runs. Kelly Johnson led off the inning with a single. After Markakis made a sliding catch to rob Cervelli of a hit, Gardner struck out. Jeter then singled through the left side of the infield. It looked like it was going to be a close play at the plate, but Johnson beat the throw home and it was 2-0 Yankees. Ellsbury then doubled to right. That scored Jeter and made it 3-0. Brian McCann then added another single, but Ellsbury was thrown out at the plate.
Greene pitched a scoreless seventh and the came back out for the eighth. After getting Steve Clevenger to fly out, Greene would be taken out. He went 7.1 innings, allowing no runs on four hits and two walks while striking out nine. As good as his first start was, this one was even better.
David Huff came in and allowed a single to Markakis on the first pitch he threw. That one pitch would be all he would throw, as Girardi went right back to the bullpen and brought in Shawn Kelley. Kelley came in and got two outs to keep the Yankees up three.
After the Yankees couldn't add more runs in the top of the ninth, David Robertson came in to try and get the save. Against the heart of the Orioles' lineup Robertson pitched a 1-2-3 inning to give the Yankees a 3-0 win. It was enjoyable. I give it two thumbs up.
The Yankees and Orioles will wrap up their series in Baltimore tomorrow. Kevin Gausman will get the start for Baltimore, while the Yankees' starter is currently unknown. First pitch will be at 8:05 eastern.