After two losses to start off the season, the New York Yankees needed something good to take away from their series with the Houston Astros, coming away with the 4-2 win thanks to finally seeing Derek Jeter provide something positive with his bad and rookie Yangervis Solarte providing the finishing and winning touch.

The Yankees leave Houston and their season opening series with two losses, but at least one game in which they felt their offense did well. Hitting 7-of-32 isn’t too fancy, but it’s better than the three total runs they got in the first two games, as both Ichiro Suzuki (2-for-4) and Solarte (3-for-3) finished with multiple hits. For Jeter it was his first hit of the season, coming in the 5th with a single to bring home Solarte and put the Yankees ahead by two runs.

The Astros were the ones to score first. Jose Altuve hit a grounder that brought home Dexter Fowler, the only player for Houston with multiple hits on the day. The Yankees began their scoring in the third. First it was Brett Gardner with a single that brought Ichiro Suzuki home and advanced Solarte, and Carlos Beltran followed with a sacrifice fly that got Solarte to score. Solarte himself capped off the game in the 7th with an infield single, Suzuki coming away with the run. Houston scored its second run of the game in the 5th as Fowler hit a single that helped Jonathan Villar get the run.

The Yankees finally have a starting pitcher with a win, as Ivan Nova allowed six hits and two earned runs in the 5.2 innings he was in, followed by Adam Warren and Shawn Kelley holding on to the lead before David Robertson coming on to get the save. All three relievers didn’t walk a single guy, and didn’t allow any hits.

For Houston, the loss goes to Brett Oberholtzer who allowed five hits and three runs in his 5.2 innings, walking three guys as well. The relief wasn’t exactly perfect, coming from Brad Peacock who gave up that final single to Solarte which the Astros couldn’t bounce back from, finishing with 6-of-29 at bat in the game.

The Yankees continue to have problems with some of their guys. A designated hitter without a single hit so far in Alfonso Soriano, and others like Mark Teixeira, Jacoby Ellsbury and catcher Francisco Cervelli struggling, hoping to put the first few days of the season behind them.

The Yankees didn’t limit themselves as promised in free agency, although they’re no longer the highest paying ball club in baseball, mostly thanks to Alex Rodriguez getting suspended. There’s not too much to tell about a team from only three days, but there’s no doubt that the biggest name in Baseball is always expected to be a bit more ‘Wow’, even when this lineup has work in progress written all over it.

You have to give a lot of credit to our scouting department and front office for finding this kid because he gives us a lot of options being a switch-hitter and can play all over the infield.

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