NEW YORK -- CC Sabathias fastball was hitting 94 mph. Mark Teixeira walked and scored the first run. Kevin Youkilis singled in another. The Yankees started to look a little more like the Yankees. Sabathia (5-4) matched his season high with 10 strikeouts following two months of a puzzling drop in velocity, and New York got two key bats back Friday night in a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox that stopped a season-high, five-game losing streak. "Any time you get two guys like that back to your team, its going to add something to our lineup," said Sabathia, who ended a five-start winless streak, one short of his career high. Out since injuring his right wrist March 5, Teixeira worked out a seven-pitch walk in the second inning in his first plate appearance of the season and scored on Jayson Nixs single. "Its going to take a few days, but youre knocking some rust off," Teixeira said after an 0-for-3 night. "Great first at-bat, just getting to run around the bases and score a run. That really just kind of breaks you in a little bit. You want to feel like youre helping the team out as soon as you get out there." Sidelined by a back injury since April 27, Youkilis was 1 for 4 as the designated hitter with a fifth-inning single that boosted the lead to 3-0. "Felt great. Just glad to get a win," he said. While New York still is missing shortstop Derek Jeter, regular third baseman Alex Rodriguez, left fielder Curtis Granderson and catcher Francisco Cervelli, the batting order had a different feel. The Yankees had gone three straight games without a walk for the first time in 1991. Brett Gardner walked leading off the first against Jon Lester (6-2), who issued four free passes in all. "These guys grind out at-bats," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think their impact is big, and we need to keep them healthy." After getting swept by the Mets over four games, Girardi was fired up and got ejected in the fifth inning for arguing a forceout call against New York by second base umpire Vic Carapazza. Replays showed Carapazza made the correct call. Sabathia allowed six hits and no walks in 7 1-3 innings. Coming back from off-season elbow surgery, he entered with an average fastball velocity of 90.2 mph this season, according to fangraphs.com. That was down from 92.4 mph last year and 93.9 mph in 2011. "I havent seen any 94s until tonight, and there were a lot of 92s to 94s, where weve seen a lot of 89s to 91s," Girardi said. Sabathia used to focus on velocity but says he doesnt any more. "When I was younger, I did, I thought that was the way I was getting guys out," he said. "But as I got older I know its more location than it is velocity." On an 86-degree night, he mixed in a slider and changeup he threw with authority and precision, helping the Yankees close within a game of first-place Boston in the AL East. "I understand why people have some cause for concern, but hes a guy that a lot of times when it warms up he gets on a roll," Girardi said. "And today was really the first hot night that hes pitched in, and it was the best stuff weve seen from him." Given a 2-0 lead in the second on RBI singles from Nix and Ichiro Suzuki, Sabathia improved to 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 13 starts following Yankees losses since the start of the 2012 season. He threw 73 of 109 pitches for strikes and allowed his only run on Mike Napolis RBI double in the seventh. Sabathia reached double digits strikeouts for the 17th time with the Yankees and 36th overall. He got three called strikeouts from plate umpire Lance Barksdale, who appeared to have a generous strike zone, and was backed by two double plays. There were 10 caught lookings in all, and players from both teams argued with the ump. "Any time he was in a fastball count, hed go to his breaking ball or his changeup to keep us off stride," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. Lester, who won at Yankees Stadium on opening day, lost his second straight decision. Struggling with his control -- he had 48 pitches through two innings -- he gave up four runs, six hits and a hit batter in 6 1-3 innings. He left with two on, and Gardner greeted Andrew Miller with an RBI single. David Robertson followed Sabathia, and Mariano Rivera rebounded from Tuesdays blown save at the Mets to pitch a two-hit ninth for his 19th save in 20 chances. He entered to a standing ovation. With the losing streak over, the Yankees seemed to exhale and relax. "I think it was an important game after the little stretch that weve been in," Girardi said. NOTES: The Yankees May 19 rainout against Toronto will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Aug. 20. ... New York optioned RHP Ivan Nova and LHP Vidal Nuno to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Girardi said a position player likely would be moved off the active roster when LHP Andy Pettitte is activated Monday to start against Cleveland. Scarpe Running Asics Scontate . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. Scarpe Asics Scontate . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. http://www.asicsscontate.it/ . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Scarpe Asics In Offerta . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Scarpe Asics Saldi . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett is returning home with a chance to make history.Barnett, who is from Nashville, heads into the final regular-season game of his junior year with 31 career sacks. That leaves him just one shy of Reggie Whites 33-year-old Tennessee career record.All season, Barnett has downplayed the importance of setting that record. That hasnt changed now that hes only one away it as he heads to his hometown for the 24th-ranked Volunteers Saturday matchup with Vanderbilt (5-6, 2-5 SEC).I would be excited to catch that record back home, but Id be more excited if we get a `W, Barnett said after earning his 31st sack last week in a 63-37 victory over Missouri. Every time I step on the field, thats what Im worried about is winning. If thats me getting a sack, helping the team win, then (thats) good. Or if thats me just affecting the quarterback, getting no sacks and we still win, Im fine with that.Barnett already is the first Southeastern Conference player ever to post at least 10 sacks in three separate seasons. After posting 10 sacks each of his first two seasons, Barnett has an SEC-leading 11 sacks this year.Saturdays game also matches the SECs two top players in tackles for loss, as Barnett has 17 and Vanderbilts Zach Cunningham has 16 +.Tennessee (8-3, 4-3) has needed Barnett more than ever to lead a defense decimated by injuries at every level.The line lost three of its top tackles when Shy Tuttle and Kahlil McKenzie suffered season-ending injuries and Danny OBrien was dismissed from the team. The linebacker corps lost Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Quarte Sapp to season-ending injuries and also was missing Darrin Kirkland Jr. for five games due to a high ankle sprain. The secondary lost Cam Sutton for six games and could be without leading tackler Todd Kelly Jr. for a second straight game this week.I remember him in the locker room at halftime getting on guys, pushing the defense to play better, quarterback Joshua Dobbs said. If he sees guys are slacking or he sees guys are doing well, hes the first one to say anything.Barnett also has led by example..dddddddddddd. He has played his best when the stakes are highest, as all 11 of his sacks this season have come in SEC competition.When I watch him, that dudes a monster, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. Hes a beast one-on-one. Ive seen him beat one guy, two guys, three guys.Barnetts 50 career tackles for loss rank third in school history and put him three away from the school record set by Leonard Little, who had 53 from 1995-97.The only active Football Bowl Subdivision player with more career sacks is Texas A&Ms Myles Garrett, who has 32 +.Hes got a great motor, said Tennessee offensive tackle Brett Kendrick, who has the unenviable task of lining up against Barnett in practice. Even if you stop his initial move, hes always got a counter off that one, and even if you stop that, hes probably got a counter off that one. He just never stops.As well as Barnett has played, Tennessees defense has struggled overall. Tennessee ranks 11th out of 14 SEC teams in total defense and has given up over 400 yards rushing in each of its last two games.That may explain why Barnett has been overlooked on the national award circuit. Barnett wasnt selected as a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award, separate honors given out to the nations best overall defensive player.I dont want to take away from anybody else who was nominated for these national awards, but I dont know what else an individual has to do, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. (Considering) the transformation of our football program -- the mentality, him as a person, him as a competitor and the productivity that hes meant to our football program -- I think youd be hard pressed anywhere in the country to find anybody better or more deserving than Derek Barnett.---AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
