Rookie Yangervis Solarte leads Yankees over Astros

HOUSTON – Third game of the season, and already two of the Yankees' massive offseason investments were out of the lineup on Thursday.

Of course, that's when the offense finally showed signs of life.

Without Jacoby Ellsbury or Brian McCann — but with first-year infielder Yangervis Solarte — the Yankees got their first lead of the season, then finished off their first win, 4-2, against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Solarte made the first start of his major-league career and had three hits, two runs, a walk and an RBI. After an offseason in which the Yankees spent nearly a half-billion dollars on free agents, it was a guy who came to spring training on a minor-league contract who contributed the most to their first win.

"I have worked very hard to be here and to help the team," Solarte said. "It's even better, the fact that I can help the team doing the small things. That's the main thing."

Cautious as ever, manager Joe Girardi decided to sit higher-profile additions Ellsbury, McCann and Kelly Johnson because the Yankees play 13 days in a row to start the season, and Girardi has stressed the need to be careful about overplaying his regulars during this stretch.

Facing a left-handed starter was a good excuse to sit three left-handed hitters, even if the Yankees were one loss away from being swept by a team expected to be one of the worst in baseball.

"We're not where we want to be," Girardi said. "But you can't say we've got to keep running them out there. If you end up getting them hurt and you end up missing them three weeks, that's really not good for us."

It looked like a bad call when the Yankees fell behind early and their first seven batters made outs, but Ichiro Suzuki, Solarte and Brett Gardner — three players whose spots in the order were determined entirely by the players Girardi chose to sit — had consecutive singles to tie the score in the bottom of the third. Carlos Beltran added a sacrifice fly to give the Yankees their first lead of the season in their 21st inning.

In the fifth, Solarte blooped a double to left-center field and scored on a Derek Jeter single to right in the fifth inning. Solarte might have been out, but the Astros' first baseman cut off a throw that seemed to have a strong chance of getting the out at the plate. Solarte then singled in an insurance run in the seventh when the Astros let a routine pop-up fall in front of the mound.

It was an unusual three-hit night, but a three-hit night just the same, and just when the Yankees needed offense.

"I didn't really know anything about him (before spring training)," Girardi said. "You have to give a lot of credit to our scouting department, our front office, for finding this kid."

Yankees starter Ivan Nova had an even more oddly effective night than Solarte.

Erratic all night, Nova allowed a whopping 13 base runners in 5 2/3 innings — six hits, five walks, two hit batters — but he held the Astros to two runs because of four double plays, timing those pivotal ground balls for the moments when he needed them most, beginning with a bases-loaded jam in the first inning.

"I was able to pitch today with only one pitch," Nova said. "I don't remember the last time that I felt my curveball was off as much as it was today. I hit the same guy twice with two breaking balls. To be able to pitch, get into the sixth inning with only one pitch, that's a good sign for me."

Three Yankees relievers retired the last 10 Astros hitters, finishing with David Robertson's first save since taking over for Mariano Rivera as the Yankees' closer.

"I try to treat it just like it's the eighth inning," Robertson said. "Get three outs, and it used to be hand the ball to Mo, but now I guess it's turn around and high-five."

Chad Jennings writes for The Journal News.