Comeback Day

Ivan Nova returned to the Yankee Stadium mound yesterday for the first time in 14 months -- and it was nothing less than a success! These photos track his day from the pre-game bullpen session to that long walk back toward the dugout... with who-knows-what kind of thoughts spinning in his head.

Nova was in command -- holding the team that had scorched the Yankees for 22 runs over the previous two nights to just three hits and two walks over 6-2/3 innings. He was even able to cool off the red-hot Maikel Franco (below), who drove in 10 runs in the Phils' pair of wins.
 
Nova's day ended in the top of the 7th with a visit and some encouragement from bench coach Rob Thomson (Joe Girardi had been tossed out earlier for arguing balls and strikes) and a standing ovation from the crowd of 45,000.
Recovery from Tommy John surgery can be tricky -- just look at the ups and downs Matt Harvey has endured this year -- but if Nova is ready to return to form and join Michael Pineda and Masahiro Tanaka at the top of the Yankee rotation, the AL East race might soon be under New York's control.

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