Neagle Validates Yankees’ Choice

Denny Neagle had spent four days making bird calls and imitating train whistles and barking dogs, the sort of thing that let his new Yankee teammates know he was just one of the guys.

On Tuesday night, he found another way to let them know and at a most opportune time.

Pitching his first game in New York pinstripes, Neagle took a shutout into the eighth inning in the Yankees’ 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

“You always want to get that first win under your belt,” Neagle said. “You want to let the guys know this is why they got you.”

David Justice hit a solo homer and Bernie Williams added a two-run triple off Curt Schilling (5-6) for New York, which has won 10 of 14.

Schilling finished with a four-hitter, but it was Neagle’s night, somewhat ironic because the Yankees coveted Schilling before dealing for Neagle.

Neagle, who was 8-2 for Cincinnati before being traded for four prospects, pitched ahead in the count and induced the Phillies to hit flyballs to all parts of spacious Yankee Stadium. Neagle got 16 of 24 outs in the air, and the few balls that were hit hard were right at fielders until Ron Gant hit a solo homer with two out in the eighth inning.

“People think I’m a groundball pitcher because of my changeup, but my best pitch is the fastball up,” Neagle said. “With the deep center field and Bernie Williams out there to go get them, this is suited to my style of pitching.”

Neagle struck out Bobby Abreu to end the eighth and walked off the field triumphantly to chants of “Denny! Denny!”

He had given up a run and five hits.

“I felt the most incredible rush leaving the bullpen to go to the dugout before the game,” he said. “The crowd was behind me all game.”

Neagle’s performance came at a time when questions surround the Yankee pitching staff. Orlando Hernandez was put on the disabled list Tuesday and David Cone lost his career-high sixth consecutive decision on Monday.

Schilling pitched his third complete game of the season.

“He made the pitches he had to make tonight and I didn’t,” Schilling said. “That’s why we lost.”