Yanks' Nova earning his rotation spot

Yankees prospect Ivan Nova solidified his case for a spot on the Opening Day roster Friday with his second straight Grapefruit League victory.

Nova yielded two runs on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out two over six innings in New York's 6-4 victory over Houston in Tampa, Fla.

The 24-year-old right-hander made 23 starts for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2010, then appeared in 10 games in the Majors.

Nova was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in two spells in the Bronx, and Friday's start may have been enough to secure the No. 4 spot in manager Joe Girardi's rotation.

Nova faced the minimum through two innings at George M. Steinbrenner Field, with the only baserunner -- Jason Michaels -- erased when Bill Hall lined into a double play to end the second.

The native of the Dominican Republic ran into trouble in the third. Carlos Corporan drew a two-out walk, Michael Bourn singled and Clint Barmes was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hunter Pence singled to right field to plate a pair of runs, but Nova got Michaels to ground into an inning-ending forceout.

"His stuff was not extremely sharp tonight, but that's actually maturing and a good thing," Girardi told MLB.com. "You're not always going to have your 'A' stuff and be sharp, and you've got to figure out how to do it."

Despite struggling with his command, Nova regrouped and finished strong.

With the exception of a one-out walk to Hall in the fourth, Nova did not allow another baserunner. He retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth, setting down the last eight batters he faced before exiting with a 3-2 lead.

"When I came here to big league camp, I was thinking of making the team," Nova told MLB.com. "I still have that focus. That's the only thing in my mind."

Through five spring appearances, including four starts, he is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA over 20 innings. Signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 2004, Nova has fanned nine batters and walked four.