BALTIMORE — J.A. Happ went out for the fifth inning Saturday night having thrown 75 pitches and allowed just one run.
But a leadoff single through the left side ield by Cedric Mullins, a popout by Jonathan Villar and a walk to Joey Rickard ended Happ’s night after just 4 ¹/₃ innings.
It’s hardly the workload one expects from a pitcher just signed to a two-year, $34 million deal, but Happ, while not content with his outing, understood the move made by manager Aaron Boone in a 6-4 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards.
“That’s kind of the game now,’’ Happ said of the early exit. “[I gave up] a ground ball and a walk. Those decisions are made, and it’s kind of the way the trend is going. I definitely think later on [in the season], I’ll be out there to finish that inning and hopefully go out for the next.”
Boone said it was “tough to take him out in that spot, because in a lot of ways, he earned the opportunity at a win.”
But with Trey Mancini, who had homered and doubled off the left-handed Happ earlier in the game, and another right-handed hitter, Renato Nunez, coming up, Boone went to Jonathan Holder.
“It felt like a big point in the game with those two righties and they’ve been a little bit of trouble the first two games for [Happ],’’ Boone said.
“I’m trying to get outs,’’ Happ said of his mindset as the middle of the order approached. “Obviously, I know who’s coming up. I’m certainly not thinking to get out of there. I’m pitching till [Boone] comes to take the ball from me.’’
A two-out single off Holder by Nunez scored a run, leaving Happ with an unimpressive line — two runs in just 4 ¹/₃ innings after he allowed four runs in four innings to the same Orioles’ lineup March 31.
Both Happ and Boone, however, thought the outing was good.
“I would say considerably better than even last time,’’ Happ said. “I felt strong and had better life on my fastball. I threw strikes last time, too, but threw more strikes tonight.”
Boone said it was “another positive step” for Happ and that the 36-year-old will be afforded the chance to pitch deeper into games as the season progresses.
In the meantime, Happ has followed a rough spring training with two less than stellar starts.
With a depleted rotation that has Luis Severino and CC Severino on the injured list and the inexperienced duo of Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga making starts, the Yankees can hardly afford to have an underwhelming Happ delivering mediocre starts on a regular basis.
In 31 starts a year ago, split between Toronto and the Yankees, Happ failed to go five innings just five times.
But a banged up lineup was able to overcome Happ’s tough start, even after Holder and Adam Ottavino let Baltimore take the lead with a shaky seventh inning.
Clint Frazier’s two-out blast in the top of the eighth and Greg Bird’s fine play on Chris Davis’ hard grounder after the struggling Chad Green loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning preserved a comeback win.
