Noesi's debut is one to remember

BALTIMORE

When his major-league debut finally came, Hector Noesi told his family, he was going to strike out the first batter he faced. As a gift to them.

Sure enough, in the bottom of the 12th Wednesday night, Noesi got Baltimore's J.J. Hardy to swing and miss at a slider.

By the time Noesi completed his first big-league work shift, he had given and received gifts like he was working it on Christmas Day. He got something from Joe Girardi. He owes something to Robinson Cano.

And the Yankees feel very grateful today that Noesi came up huge in an immensely high-stress setting. The 24-year-old threw four shutout innings to lead the Yankees over the Orioles, 4-1, in a wacky, 15-inning contest at Camden Yards.

"I was nervous for my first game, but in that situation, you know that's going to happen sometimes," said Noesi, a native of the Dominican Republic. "You have to do whatever you have to do to get out of it."

Said Cano: "It's good. I like that, when guys haven't pitched and then they get a chance and they do their job . . . That guy, you know he can pitch I was really impressed."

By outlasting the Orioles, the Yankees extended their winning streak to two and avoided falling back into the funk that trapped them in a six-game losing streak (before Tuesday's victory over Tampa Bay).

They received a serious care when reserve outfielder Chris Dickerson got hit by Baltimore pitcher Michael Gonzalez on the bill of his helmet. Dickerson left the game and headed to University of Maryland Hospital for a CT scan. Nevertheless, given how difficult their past week has been, the Yankees took a moment to appreciate this one.

"To lose a game like this would've been tough," Girardi said. "We've had a lot of tough losses in this streak. We're trying to get those behind us."

Veteran Bartolo Colon pitched a brilliant eight shutout innings, while the Yankees picked up a single run over impressive Baltimore rookie Zach Britton, only to see Mariano Rivera allow a tying run in the bottom of the ninth.

Luis Ayala and Boone Logan teamed to strand four baserunners in the 10th and 11th, and then it was Noesi's turn. He waited a while. Noesi had been on the Yankees' roster from April 13 to April 21 without getting summoned, and after a stay with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barres, the Yankees brought him back on May 13. He last pitched on May 8 for Scranton.

By deploying his four pitches -- fastball, curveball, slider and changeup -- Noesi got ahead of 15 of the 19 batters he faced. And one of those to jump ahead 1-and-0, Hardy in the 14th, did so only because he drew an intentional walk.

He allowed a total of seven baserunners, yet he continued to pound the strike zone. In his first inning, the 12th, the Orioles loaded the bases with two outs, only to see No. 3 hitter Nick Markakis tap an inning-ending comebacker to Noesi.

"I thought he kept his emotions in check pretty good," catcher Russell Martin said. "He never let the game speed up on him. He looked like he had nothing to lose. He gave it everything he had."

Said Noesi: "I feel like there's nobody on base [in those situations]. You've got to be relaxed to do what you have to do."

When Cano slammed a tiebreaking, two-run double in the top of the 15th, the star second baseman told his young friend that he expected a reward.

"I said, 'You've got to buy me dinner now,'" Cano said. "'On Saturday. You've got to take me to one of the fanciest places.'"

Noesi looked fatigued in the 15th, as he gave up a leadoff single to Markakis and walked Brandon Snyder. Then the rookie benefited from some luck. Luke Scott, the tying run, hit a rocket right at Brett Gardner in leftfield. Matt Wieters drilled a single, but it nailed Snyder between first and second for the second out. Hardy's pop to emergency rightfielder Edwin Nunez ended the game, giving Noesi his first victory in his first game.

Afterward, Girardi brought Noesi the game's lineup card and shook the pitcher's hand.

"It's one he'll never forget, for sure," Girardi said. The same probably goes for everyone in a Yankees uniform.