NEW YORK -- For a stretch Friday night, Masahiro Tanaka looked like New York's ace for the first time this season.
Next step: keep that form over a full game.
Tanaka delivered 6 1/3 effective innings, Aroldis Chapman escaped his own jam for his third save in three days and the Yankees beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 for their fifth straight win.
Tanaka (1-1) entered with an 11.74 ERA over his first two starts, but he recovered nicely Friday after Matt Carpenter's two-run homer in the first.