The Yankees sailed right past the Baltimore Orioles last night with Phil Hughes (7-1) in the driver’s seat.  Hughes had another stellar performance on this season going 7 innings, giving up six hits and one run, and striking out seven.  Hughes dropped his ERA to a 2.54 in this outing.  Yankees fans can thank last year’s move to the bullpen to help Hughes find this hidden confidence.  It is showing on the field this year.  Hughes gave most of the credit on last night’s win, however, to the Yankees offense.  He also credit’s it to helping him with his outings.

“When we have the offense that we have, I know what I’m capable of doing,” Hughes said.  “I think there isn’t a reason why we shouldn’t win games.  I think that goes for everybody.  We have a really good team, and it’s fun to watch.”

With his seventh win last night, Hughes has tied Andy Pettitte and Clay Buchholz for the second-most wins in the American League (David Price from Tampa Bay has eight).  “I don’t want to say he’s blowing people away, but I’m telling you, his stuff is electric,”  Nick Swisher said.  “Playing defense behind him kind of gets boring out there at times.  He’s really taken this opportunity and run with it.”

Robinson Cano had another big night at the plate extending his hitting streak to sixteen games.  He went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and his 12th homerun of the season.  What’s so amazing about his hitting streak is that he is batting .471 and has gone 32-for-68 in his ABs.

Cano said, “It’s patience and swinging at strikes.  I’m not chasing pitches like it used to before.  Now if I see a ball I just let it go.  It’s been working good.”  While Cano continues to be modest, his teammates are doing all the talking for him.

“I think we’re all just trying to keep pace with him,” said Nick Swisher.  “He’s been special to watch.  Guys are looking at each other in the dugout now and saying, ‘Man, let’s see how hard he hits this one.’  He’s on a roll right now, and nobody in this room is going to be messing with him.”

Other Yankees also had great great nights at the plate.  Curtis Granderson went 3-for-4 with two RBI.  Nick Swisher went 3-for-5 with three RBI.  Francisco Cervelli went 0-for-3, but did hit a sacrfice fly to extend the Yankees lead.

Yankees fans were also happy to see the returns of Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada.  Teix had left the previous game early after fouling a ball off his left foot in his first AB of the game.  X-rays were thankfully negative and he expected to return to the lineup tonight.

“It’s better–I should be fine,”  said Teix.  “Just walking around on it and standing on one foot, doing some push-offs, it was sore, but not to the point where I couldn’t do it.”  Fans expected Teixeira to be back in the lineup when the news of Juan Miranda being optioned to AAA surfaced.

Jorge Posada was taken off the DL after missing games since May 16.  He was the DH last night with a special pad on his right foot for extra protection.  The big question now is how often Posada will be the Yankees DH.

“There’s going to be a time where you’re not an everyday catcher and that’s fine,”  said Posada.  “If I’m able to help the team as a DH I would like to do that.”  Joe Girardi is waiting for furthur medical papers before he starts trying to catch Posada everyday.  Meanwhile, Posada is confident with Francisco Cervelli behind the plate.

Posada said of Cervelli, “He’s done a great job.  We obvoiously know we have a catcher here in the future, and he’s going to be the future of this team.  I’m  happy for him.  He has stepped up and has done real well.”

The Yankees now have a four game winning streak since the returnings of Curtis Granderson over the weekend and Jorge Posada last night.  The Yankees hope to continue that streak and get back on track for the rest of this season.