Strong outing for Nova

TAMPA, Fla. -- Ivan Nova rediscovered his slider Wednesday night and made his strongest statement to date about the Yankees' rotation openings.

Nova pitched six innings of no-hit ball against the Orioles at Steinbrenner Field. With two weeks to go before Opening Day, it appears the 24-year-old righthander would have to implode to not earn a spot on the starting staff.

Nova, in his third start and fourth appearance of spring training, hit the first batter of the game with a pitch. Another reached in the fourth inning on an error by Alex Rodriguez.

That was it.

"As good as it gets," manager Joe Girardi said.

Nova struck out four and recorded 11 outs on the ground. And he did it with a slider he and catcher Russell Martin decided to unleash after seeing how nasty it looked in the bullpen.

"Found out today that his slider was a much better pitch than what I heard and what I thought it was," Martin said. "I think he surprised himself out there. I saw it in the pen, though. His curveball wasn't really working the way he wanted to, so he decided to throw a couple sliders. He was locating it down in the zone right where he wanted to. He threw one in the game. It was a good one. He threw another one, it was another good one.

"As the game went along, you could tell he was a lot more confident with it."

Nova, who allowed two runs in three innings in his last start, said three of the strikeouts were on sliders. He picked up the pitch last year, but shelved it for a time. Last night, it was back.

Nova was supposed to go only five innings, but he was so efficient he came out for the sixth and then threw 15-20 more pitches in the bullpen.

The Orioles had a representative lineup, with most of their regulars. But Nova mowed 'em down with ease and finished having thrown 59 pitches, 41 for strikes. He faced 19 batters, one more than the minimum, thanks to a double play in the first.

"It's the best pitching performance we've had probably in spring training," Girardi said. "When you talk about length and efficiency and being in control."

Still, Girardi would not be coaxed into giving Nova the nod over Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon for one of the two spots. But he liked what he saw.

"It tells you that he's competitive," Girardi said. "That he knows what he's involved in and that he needs to perform. That's what you want to see out of kids -- and all the players. You want to see the competitive nature of every guy."

The no-hitter ended when Mariano Rivera allowed a two-out double to Vladimir Guerrero in the seventh. The Yankees won, 10-0.

Garcia is next up in the rotation sweepstakes. He starts Saturday against the Blue Jays. Colon is scheduled to pitch Monday when the Yankees are on the road vs. the Rangers.

The way Nova pitched Wednesday night, the two veterans might be vying for one opening pretty soon.

Did Nova think he showed the Yankees how good he can be?

"First," he said, "I showed myself how good I am."