Yankees sweep doubleheader, 8-3 and 17-3

Most of the attention in the weeks leading up to Sunday's 4 p.m. non-waivers trade deadline revolved around the Yankees' search for pitching. But the day, and especially the night, before the deadline, their offense was impossible to ignore.

The Yankees bludgeoned the Orioles in a doubleheader at the Stadium, winning Game 1, 8-3, and Game 2, 17-3. "They were definitely feeling good about that win on Friday night,'' said Nick Swisher, who hit a two-run homer in each game. "So to be able to come in here and win those two games today was definitely great, and we have to finish it off tomorrow.''

Game 2 featured a historic first inning by the Yankees as they scored 12 runs, the most in a first inning in franchise history. Each Yankee had at least one hit and scored at least one run in a 10-hit inning in which they sent 16 batters to the plate, making Ivan Nova's job a lot easier. "Very nice,'' Joe Girardi said. "It's difficult to win doubleheaders. To have an inning like that is impressive.''

The franchise record for most runs in an inning is 14, accomplished in the fifth inning July 6, 1920, at Washington.

The Yankees had 24 hits -- five by Robinson Cano, four by Curtis Granderson, three each by Swisher and Mark Teixeira and two each by Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones, Russell Martin and Eduardo Nuñez. There were six doubles, a triple and two homers. Cano -- who was 5-for-5 before being removed after an RBI double in the sixth -- had five RBIs and Swisher added three.

Jeter's two hits gave him 3,020 and tied him with Rafael Palmeiro for 24th all-time.

The onslaught overshadowed, but didn't make any less significant, Nova's return to the rotation. Despite being away for a month after his demotion to make room for Phil Hughes, he earned his ninth win, tying him with Freddy Garcia for second behind CC Sabathia's 15.

Rumors have swirled about Nova's possible inclusion in a deal for two pitchers the Yankees coveted -- the Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez and the Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda. Jimenez was dealt to Cleveland Saturday night, shortly after Kuroda told the Dodgers he would refuse to waive his no-trade clause.

Told after the game (in which he allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings) that Jimenez had been dealt, Nova smiled. "I don't want to leave New York,'' he said. "Thank God.''

How long will Nova (9-4, 4.01) remain in the rotation, especially given that Hughes has struggled since his return? Speaking before Game 1, in which Bartolo Colon improved to 8-6 with a 3.30 ERA after allowing two runs in five innings, Girardi hedged when asked the plans for Nova and Hughes in the rotation. "Let's have him pitch well today and see what happens,'' he said.

After the game, Girardi did not rule out a six-man rotation for this week. Garcia is set to start Sunday, followed by Sabathia to open a four-game series in Chicago Monday night. Hughes could go Tuesday and A.J. Burnett would throw Wednesday. Nova then would pitch Thursday, allowing Colon to face the Red Sox Friday in Boston on extra rest -- something Girardi wants to do on occasion -- followed by Sabathia on Saturday and Garcia on Sunday. "That's something we could do,'' Girardi said of the six-man rotation.

Of course, a trade Sunday could alter those plans. But Nova hopes he can stay a while. "That's a decision I don't make,'' he said. "Of course I want to be. But if I'm in the minors, I have to keep pitching like that.''

With Anthony Rieber