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Yankees 3, Nationals 0: CC Sabathia and the bullpen combine to shut out Nats

A milestone was passed as Sabathia helped the Yankees to a win over Washington.

Washington Nationals  v New York Yankees Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

One good way to respond to getting shut out is to throw a shut out in your next game.

CC Sabathia threw 5.2 scoreless innings, before handing it off to the bullpen for 3.1 more. Didi Gregorius powered the offense to a couple runs, and it turned out that was enough to get the win. The Yankees and Nationals finally played a completed game this season, and it ended in a 3-0 Yankees win.

After Sabathia stranded runners in both of the first two innings, the Yankees got on the board in the bottom of the second. Gregorius led off the frame with a solo homer, but the Yankees then added more. Aaron Hicks followed that with a walk, and after that Neil Walker singled. Both runners then moved to second and third after an ill-advised throw from Bryce Harper on the single. Austin Romine hit a sac fly to score Hicks, and the Yankees doubled their lead.

In the fourth inning, Sabathia struck out Michael Taylor to record his 1500th as a Yankee. He’s been a pretty good acquisition for the Yankees.

After allowing a two-out infield single to Taylor in the sixth, Sabathia’s pitch count was over 100, and Aaron Boone decided to go to the bullpen. He got a nice hand from the crowd, as he should after the 5.2 good innings he put in. Sabathia allowed no runs on four hits and three walks, striking out three. Chad Green came in, and Taylor appeared to have stolen second in the next at bat, but the Yankees’ reviewed and Gleyber Torres had managed to tag him out in time, ending the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Gregorius added a second solo home run. His two today mark three since April, but hopefully show that he’s back on the right track.

Green also pitched the seventh before Dellin Betances came in for the eighth. During his appearance, a pitch in the dirt hit Harper causing him to come out of the game. (Sabathia had hit him with a pitch earlier in the game, as well.) Betances came back and got three straight out after that, striking out Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams to get out of the inning.

Aroldis Chapman was tasked with the ninth inning. He fell behind against the first batter he faced, but recovered and got through the inning without any problems, finishing off the win.

Box score.