Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - With the Baltimore Orioles nipping at New York's
heels, the Yankees got Andy Pettitte back at just the right time.
Thrust into the thick of the AL East race, the sorely missed 40-year-old
Pettitte threw 75 pitches and spun five scoreless frames in his return from
the disabled list and New York downed the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-2, in the
first game of a doubleheader.
Pettitte (4-3), who fanned three, scattered four hits and walked two, hasn't
pitched since June 27 when he was hit with a line drive and suffered a
fractured left ankle in a game against the Cleveland Indians. He was
slated to start Tuesday, but the contest was postponed because of rain.
New York's shaky rotation, which is 11-13 with a 4.24 ERA over the last four
weeks coming in, got a boost with the return of Ivan Nova on Saturday. He
returned from the disabled list with rotator-cuff inflammation.
Henderson Alvarez (9-13) struck out seven, but allowed three runs on five hits
for Toronto, which has dropped five of its last seven contests.
The Sports Network