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04/04/2008 12:23 AM ET
Betances elbows his way back
Yankees pitching prospect fans career-high eight in return to mound
By Tom Cardinale
The organization shut down Dellin Betances last July because of elbow inflammation. (Jerry Hale/MLB.com)

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New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Dellin Betances came back from an elbow injury with a vengeance on Opening Day.

The 20-year-old struck out a career-high eight over five strong innings for the win in his first action since last July as the Charleston RiverDogs topped the Rome Braves, 10-4.

"I'm feeling 100 percent," Betances said. "I felt like I had good command of my fastball."

Betances was shut down for the season with elbow inflammation on July 21 after going 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 25 innings over six starts for the Staten Island Yankees.

He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks, not surrendering a hit until Concepcion Rodriguez took him deep to left field in the third inning.

"I felt pretty comfortable," Betances said. "I had to mix up my pitches and stay down in the zone. I got a few up and they were right on it."

He also showed a little rust, uncorking a wild pitch in the fourth and conceding a balk in the fifth.

"I was just trying to be too quick, I don't know what I really did," Betances said. "The wild pitch, the ball the just slipped out of my hand

"I felt pretty good. I feel like I threw five solid innings," he added. "I had some good defense behind me."

Betances also was the beneficiary of some mighty Charleston run production. Austin Krum knocked in four runs and every starter had a hit.

The 6-foot-8, 245-pounder was selected by the Yankees in the eighth round of the 2006 draft out of Grand Street Campus High School in Brooklyn.

Tom Cardinale is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.