Basisphilosophie » nner. He was 0-2 with three no-decisions since beating

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The way this season is going for Hiroki Kuroda, hell happily take a win on a day when he laboured through six innings. Mark Teixeira hit a two-run single, Brett Gardner added an RBI double and the New York Yankees held on for a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday in the opener of a single-admission doubleheader. "As a pitcher, the win is always a good thing," Kuroda said through a translator. "Even though you may not have perfect stuff, to get the win is very encouraging." It had been quite some time since Kuroda (3-3) came out a winner. He was 0-2 with three no-decisions since beating Boston on April 12. Kuroda allowed a homer in the first Sunday to Neil Walker — his ninth — but then retired nine in a row before walking Andrew McCutcheon in the fourth. The right-hander was hurt by the home run again in the fifth, when Tony Sanchez led off with a drive to left field. Kuroda was lifted after throwing 98 pitches and allowing five hits and two walks. He struck out seven in lowering his ERA to 4.61. The former Los Angeles Dodger improved to 6-1 against Pittsburgh. "The mechanics, the command are not as good as last year," said Kuroda, who was 6-2 at this point last season. New York needed four relievers to finish the opener of the first traditional twinbill at Yankee Stadium since 2004. David Robertson got four outs for his eighth save. Brian McCann had an RBI single and New York scored all its runs in the first two innings on five hits after belting five homers in a 7-1 victory Saturday. The Yankees improved to 8-0 in interleague home games against Pittsburgh and will try for their third three-game sweep of the Pirates, along with 2005 and 07, in the finale. Pittsburghs Gerrit Cole faces Vidal Nuno. With the second game scheduled to begin about 30 minutes after the end of the first, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Derek Jeter would only start the opener. Girardi also said Jacoby Ellsbury would not start in centre field both games after sitting out Saturday with flu-like symptoms. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said to expect lineup changes for the finale. His main concern, though, was protecting his bullpen for the second game, and Charlie Morton (0-6) did just that with seven solid innings after a shaky start. Morton walked Gardner to open the first. Jeter then bunted down the third base line for a hit and Ellsbury was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Teixeira, who homered Saturday. The hot-hitting first baseman lined his single to right-centre. McCann followed with a single for a 3-1 lead. "Well, I walked Gardner to lead off the game, the bunts a hit, I hit Ellsbury, bases loaded, no outs," Morton said. "I backed myself in a corner and they took advantage." Gardner doubled in the second but Morton settled down after that. He allowed just one baserunner the rest of his outing, and Zoilo Almonte, who singled with two outs in the fourth, was picked off first base — after a replay overturned an original safe call. Walkers RBI single in the fifth cut the lead to 4-3. "We had some opportunities again," Hurdle said. "We pushed (Kuroda), pushed the pitch limit. He found outs when he had to to stay in the game and complete the innings that he pitched." The Pirates scored three runs for Morton after giving him only three runs of support in his previous four starts. He gave up six hits and walked one with six strikeouts. NOTES: The doubleheader was scheduled to make up Friday nights rainout. ... Starling Marte struck out in each of his four at-bats. ... Yankees RF Carlos Beltran (right elbow) had a second cortisone shot to try to ease the discomfort in his right elbow from a bone spur. He will get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday. Girardi said Beltran had planned on getting the second opinion but Andrews wasnt available sooner. Girardi said Beltran is getting better. ... Girardi also acknowledged that LHP CC Sabathia might need surgery someday on his right knee because the condition is degenerative. Sabathia was returning from a visit to Andrews office, where he had his knee drained and was given a cortisone shot. ... The Pirates streak of the leadoff batter reaching in eight straight games ended when Travis Snider struck out looking. ... The Pirates recalled RHP Brandon Cumpton from Triple-A Indianapolis as the 26th man for the doubleheader. The Yankees brought up RHP Jose Ramirez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Discount NCAA Jerseys . Schaub will start for an injured Case Keenum and try to help the Texans end a 12-game skid. Schaubs last action in Houston came when he took over late in a game against Oakland on Nov. 17 as Keenum was struggling. Cheap NCAA Store .FIFA says it is relaxing the rule which forced match officials to leave its international list at the end of the year they turned 45. http://www.cheapncaajerseyscustom.com/ . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park. Authentic NCAA Jerseys . -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and an assist and Nicolas Petan extended his point streak to 11 games as the Portland Winterhawks slipped past the Red Deer Rebels 5-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. Wholesale NCAA Jerseys China . -- Canada played to expectation up until halftime. BALTIMORE -- On a night in which the Orioles wore 1954 throwback uniforms to mark the 60th anniversary of their arrival in Baltimore, the team administered an old-fashioned whipping on the St. Louis Cardinals. J.J. Hardy hit two of the Orioles season-high six home runs, and Baltimore cruised to a 12-2 victory Friday night to move a season-high 17 games over .500. It was a rare blowout for the Orioles, who scored three runs or fewer in 11 of their 20 previous games and have played 63 games decided by one or two runs. "Anytime you can get a big lead and come out of the game early its nice," said Hardy, who left in the seventh inning. "Its fun just to be able to relax and watch the game." Hardy hit a solo shot and a three-run drive for his 11th multihomer game. Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Chris Davis and Ryan Flaherty also connected as Baltimore (66-49) reached double figures in runs for the first time since April 24. "Baseballs full of circles," Machado said. "One day were going to win a game 2-1, 1-0 and the other day were going to blow a team out. Its just part of the game." Chris Tillman (9-5) gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. He was pulled after a two-run drive by A.J. Pierzynski made it 12-2. "It was one of those nights where everything kind of clicked for me and I was able to execute most of my pitches," Tillman said. The result was Baltimores first win over the Cardinals in 11 years. The Orioles -- who were the St. Louis Browns before relocating -- went 1-2 in St. Louis in 2003 and wwere swept in three games at Camden Yards in 2011.dddddddddddd The Cardinals and Browns once shared Sportsmans Park in St. Louis, but now the teams rarely run into each other. In this one, a three-run drive by Machado and Hardys first home run helped Baltimore go up 5-0 against Justin Masterson (1-1) in the third. That was enough to propel the AL East-leaders to their ninth win in 12 games. Making his second start for the Cardinals since being traded from Cleveland, Masterson allowed five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings. He also walked three, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch. "This is not the best thing you want to do when you come to a new team," Masterson said. "He couldnt find the plate tonight and when he did, his pitches were more elevated than they were last time out," manager Mike Matheny said. "When he elevated the ball, they elevated it as well." Hardy connected with two on in the fourth off Nick Greenwood for an 8-0 lead. At that point, every Orioles starter either had a hit or scored a run. Baltimore leads the majors with 144 home runs and has at least one in seven straight games. The Orioles are 55-25 when they homer. The blowout was sweeter for the Orioles because many of the teams former greats, such as Brooks Robinson and Cap Ripken Jr., were on hand to watch it before being honoured in a ceremony afterward. "Yeah, I think its awesome," Tillman said. "Its a good night to do what we did, with all these guys around here, and its fun. We were hanging out with them in the clubhouse." ' ' '