A four-game winning streak had been snapped by a loss to the Astros Monday, when the AL West's new punching bag shelled Andy Pettitte. Last night, the Yankees turned to Hiroki Kuroda to help restore order to the universe.
Kuroda did the job.
The right-hander blanked Houston for seven innings in the Yankees' 7-4 win in The Bronx, and the offense pounded ex-Met Philip Humber.
Though Kuroda's final numbers were impressive, he hardly had an easy time in the early going. He allowed seven baserunners over the first three innings, but didn't let any of them score.
COME ON HOME: Travis Hafner knocks in his second run of the game during last night's 7-4 win over the Astros in The Bronx.
Since Kuroda was clearly pitching better with runners on base, pitching coach Larry Rothschild told him he should stay in the stretch for the rest of the outing.
"He was in the stretch quickly anyway, so they thought it might simplify it a little bit to see if he got his stuff back," manager Joe Girardi said.
"It's something I don't like to do, but I followed the suggestion," said Kuroda, who admitted his sinker and slider were "pretty useless" over the first three innings.
In a season filled with adjustments for the Yankees (16-10), this was just the latest.
The Yankees never expected to have Travis Hafner in the cleanup spot, Eduardo Nunez starting at shortstop or Lyle Overbay at first base, but that's where they all were last night and they all factored in the victory.
"It hasn't always been pretty," Girardi said. "But we've gotten clutch hits when we've needed them."
Hafner delivered the first of three run-scoring singles in the first last night and another in the third to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. They made it 4-0 in the fifth when Brennan Boesch beat a throw to first to prevent a double play and allow Ichiro Suzuki to score, and then Jayson Nix followed with an RBI single.
Hafner, Nunez and Ichiro each had three hits and Overbay hit his fourth homer of the season.
David Robertson allowed a two-out, two-run homer to Chris Carter in the eighth, but the Yankees responded with three more in the bottom of the inning.
It was a cushion that came in handy when Shawn Kelley coughed up two runs in the ninth, forcing Mariano Rivera to get the last out for his 10th save.
"It's not always going to be simple in the ninth inning," Girardi said.
And it wasn't simple for Kuroda until the fourth, when he mowed the
Astros down in order.
Kuroda ended up retiring 14 of the last 15 batters he faced, while striking out a season-high eight hitters and matching his season-high with four walks.
Stewart noticed the difference in Kuroda immediately after he alteredhis delivery.
"Obviously, his windup wasn't too good, so it couldn't hurt," Stewart said. "He was putting guys on left and right the first three innings, so you might as well make a change."
Kuroda's two-seamers began to move and his control improved.
"I think he's just been
around the game long enough that he's really good at correcting himself," Stewart said.
He settled down enough to improve to 4-1 and has won four consecutive decisions.
After being befuddled by Houston starter Lucas Harrell Monday, the Yankees didn't waste time getting to Humber (0-6). The right-hander threw four wild pitches and the Astros fell to 8-19.
"Especially after the weekend we had, you want to keep the momentum going," Girardi said of the sweep of the Blue Jays.
For one more night, the Yankees found a winning formula.
dan.martin@nypost.com
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