Nuno Finally Pitches Well in 6-0 Win Over Red Sox

Going into tonight's opener against the arch-rival Red Sox, many people questioned Joe Girardi's decision to start Vidal Nuno.

The 26-year-old lefty, 1-4 with a 5.88 ERA before the contest began, had given up 14 earned runs in his last two outings, causing some to prefer just letting Masahiro Tanaka go after the team's day off. 

Fortunetaly, Girardi didn't listen to those critics, sticking with a plan that eventually let Nuno toss a scoreless 5.2 frames, helping the Yankees win easily 6-0.

To start off the contest, Nuno did walk Red Sox Right Fielder Brock Holt, his only real moment of weakness on the night, as the youngster ended up surrendering just 2 hits to lower his ERA to 5.42.

On the offensive side of things, #57 also got a pretty good amount of run support, with the Yanks taking an early lead in the bottom of the first when the red-hot Mark Teixeira drove home Derek Jeter with a Sac Fly to left. 

Later on in the third, the inconsistent Bombers' bats would really break the game open, thanks to Kelly Johnson making everything a lot less stressful with a two-run home run to deep right-center and Brett Gardner immediately following that with a solo shot of his own, putting Boston's Brandon Workman (7 IP, 4 ER) in an nearly-inescapable hole.

Still, that message apparently never reached Bombers Catcher Brian McCann, who tacked on another pair in the eighth with a blast to the right-field porch.

The upper-decker from McCann, his first since last Wednesday, was his ninth of the season, and his third already against the Red Sox. 

Overall in 2014, the Pinstripes Backstop has quietly dominated Boston's pitching staff, hitting an impressive .392 (11-for-28) in the clubs' eight meetings, five of which have taken place in the veteran's home of the Bronx.