Phil Hughes is now 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA over his last four starts. In Tuesday's 3-2 win, he showed off a change up to complement his fastball-curveball combination. He still would liked to have gone longer than just the six innings.

"I would have liked to go deeper into the game," Hughes said.

In his nine starts, Hughes has pitched into the eighth once and the seventh once. He has also given up a homer in each start, becoming the first Yankee ever to do that in his first nine starts of the season.

So Hughes is doing better, but he still has a long ways to go to not just be a No. 4 or 5 starter.

• Alex Rodriguez on the final out of the game in which he fired across the diamond to just nail the speedy Alcides Escobar:

"Woo," A-Rod said, sounding a little like Ric Flair. "Exciting play. Just a great play on everyone's end."

Mark Teixeira had the final stretch to record the out.

"I knew he was going to be hauling down the line," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez went on to credit Teixeira for making sure they just got Escobar.

Programming Note: Wallace Matthews is writing a column on Al B. Al.

• Teixeira, who is still batting seventh, had a nice night with the glove. In the eighth, he may have prevented a run when he caught Mike Moustakas' wicked liner and then stepped on the bag for an inning-ending double play.

"Tex has always been a Gold Glove first baseman," Joe Girardi said.

At the plate, Teixeira was 1-for-3. Batting seventh cost him an extra plate appearance.

• The Yankees' pen combined for three scoreless innings. Girardi used five relievers, culminating with Rafael Soriano. Soriano allowed a runner to get to third before A-Rod and Teixiera's game-ending play. Soriano is 3-for-3 in save opportunities.

"We still believe we have the pieces," Girardi said of his pen.

Soriano made his 400th career appearance. To celebrate, he didn't talk to the media. Maybe he was listening to some Neil Diamond.

• Robinson Cano likes to face Luke Hochevar. He has three homers in 12 career at-bats against him. Cano went deep in the fourth.

• Since the Yankees still can't really hit very well, their games are much shorter. This one was only 2:37. The attendance was announced at 37,674.