Game 64. A sloppy win, 7-6 in 10. Also, news on Lucchesi, Big Papi.

The Yanks (40-24) tried their best to blow this game. Their best relievers failed, and it was up to a rookie, who arrived at 4 AM after a seven-hour or so drive via cab or Uber (don’t know which; UPDATE: Yanks arranged a SUV for the 6 1/2 hour, 375 mile drive), to save the day.

But in the end, they won 7-6 in 10 innings over Cleveland and maintained their first place tie with Tampa Bay.

Before the game, the Yanks had to place Domingo German on the IL (hip) and recall Stephen Tarpley. Tarpley is the one who had to make the trip in the wee small hours of the morning.

Now we know that German didn’t “hit a wall” per se, but that something was physically wrong the past few starts.

Forced to use an opener again (Tanaka’s start pushed back a day due to his wife giving birth), the Yanks got 5 runs in the second inning. With two out, Clint Frazier singled and Brett Gardner homered (9). Gio Urshela walked and Cameron Maybin singled. D.J. LeMahieu singled in a run, 3-0. Then a WP and a walk to Aaron Hicks loaded the bases. Luke Voit doubled in two runs, 5-0. Gary Sanchez walked to reload the bases but Gleyber Torres flied out.

Chad Green, the opener, and Nestor Cortes, Jr.Greg combined to shut out the Indians for five innings, but in the bottom of the sixth, Tommy Kahnle gave up 4 runs on 2 HR and it was 5-4.

In the seventh, Adam Ottavino gave up a HR that tied the game at 5.

In the top of the ninth, with one out, Luke Voit singled and Gary Sanchez doubled. Gleyber Torres was inentionally walked to possibly set up a DP but Clint Frazier hit a SF to put the Yanks up 6-5.

But in the bottom of the ninth, Aroldis Chapman gave up a single, made and error on a pickoff attempt, and then walked the next batter. He rebounded to get two outs and then had two strikes on the next batter. One strike away, and then a ground ball to SS. Didi Gregorius, who didn’t start the game but who was in for defensive purposes, booted it for a two-base error and the tying run scored. Chapman then got out of the inning.

With one out in the tenth, Maybin doubled, and one out later, Hicks doubled to put the Yanks up 7-6.

Tarpley, who made that long trip hours earlier, struck out the side in the bottom of the tenth to earn his first MLB save.

Tarpley, you’ll recall, had a great spring training before getting roughed up earlier in the season, causing him to be sent down to SWB.

LeMahieu 2 hits, RBI (.321)
Hicks GW RBI double
Voit 2 hits, 2 RBI
Frazier 2 hits, RBI
Gardner 2-run HR (9)
Maybin 2 hits

Green 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K.  8.27
Cortes, Jr.  3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  3.86
Kahnle 1 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 0 W, 1 K.  2.84   Gave up 2 HR.
Ottavino (BS, 3) 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.  1.53  Gave up 1 HR
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.  2.86
Chapman (W, 1-1, 1.40; BS, 2) 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Tarpley (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.  First MLB save.

The Yanks now play the Mets for two games in Yankee Stadium.

In other baseball news…

Frank Lucchesi died at the age of 92. Lucchesi managed the Phillies (1970-1972), Rangers (1975-1977, taking over for Billy Martin) and Cubs (1987). He was the last manager for the Phillies while they played at old Connie Mack Stadium. He also was the manager that Lenny Randle assaulted in 1977 when Randle took umbrage at how Luchessi was managing him. Luchessi’s managerial record was 316-399, a .442 winning pct., which averages to a 72-90 season.

Ex-Red Sox star David Ortiz (Big Papi) is in stable condition after being shot in the Dominican Republic. From MLB.com:

Retired Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was shot and wounded at an amusement center in his hometown of Santo Domingo on Sunday but was in stable condition and expected to be OK, his agent Fernando Cuza told MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez.

Ortiz’s father, Leo Ortiz, also addressed reporters and said doctors anticipate a full recovery.

…

confirmed that he sustained a gunshot wound to the lower back/abdominal region…..

(FROM ESPN) The team had to remove part of Ortiz’s intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder. Ortiz suffered liver damage. He was shot at a club in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Authorities say Ortiz was ambushed by a man who got off a motorcycle and shot him in the back at nearly point-blank range.

 

 

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Minor League Report. Controversy at AA.

AAA: SWB (31-23) lost 5-4. Didi Gregorius was 0 for 5 and is 1 for 21 on his rehab. I hope the Yanks don’t rush him up just because he is healthy but that they bring him up when he is ready. Get that stroke back first.

CF Trey Amburgey 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2 solo HR. C Kyle Higashioka 2 hits. DH Logan Morrison 2 hits, solo HR.

AA: Trenton (32-21) lost 3-0, getting just one hit. That one hit was a bunt single by CF Matt Lipka with one out in the 9th. Hartford, feeling that Lipka broke an unwritten rule by bunting in the 9th to break up the no-no, had some words about it after the game.

High A: Tampa (24-33) won 6-4. DH Estevan Florial 2 hits. 2B Oswaldo Cabrera 2 hits, RBI. RF Isaiah Gilliam 3 hits. 1B Dermis Garcia 3 hits, RBI. 3B Angel Aguilar 2 hits.

Low A: Charleston (31-27) lost 8-1. DH Frederic Cuevas 2 hits.

 

Game 58. Yanks fall 8-5.

Before the game, Nestor Cortes sent down to make room for CC coming off the DL.

I was worried about CC being a bit rusty coming off the DL (I still call it the DL) and he may have been a bit, but he didn’t pitch too badly.

Clint Frazier’s defense though, was, shall we say, problematic. Not only that, but his blowing off the press after the game was, too.

CC gave up a solo HR in the first, a run in the second and a solo HR in the fourth and the Yanks were down 3-0.

They got two back in the fourth. With one, out, Luke Voit homered (15), then three straight singles by Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks and Gleyber Torres loaded the bases. Gio Urshela made it 3-2 with a SF. The inning ended strangely when it appeared a double steal went awry.

In the top of the seventh, Frazier let a single get under his glove for a two-base error allowing the runner who was on first to score. Later on, after Boston scored another run, he (NY Post words) he tried and failed for a diving catch and made an off-line throw that allowed runners to move up and another run scored. 6-2 Boston.

In the eighth, after Boston made it 7-2, Frazier allowed a hit to get past him for a triple. 8-2.

The Yanks tried to come back in the bottom of the eighth, but they were in too much of a hole. D.J. LeMahieu singled, Voit walked. Gary Sanchez walked to load the bases. A balk brought in one run, a groundout another. Torres’ SF made it 8-5.

After the game, Frazier didn’t want to talk to the press about his fielding deficiencies. If there is an “attitude problem”, the Yanks need to nip it in the bud immediately.

Voit solo HR (15)
Torres 2 hits, RBI
Frazier 2 hits, but an error and other misadventures in the outfield.

Sabathia (L, 3-2, 3.61) 6 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 0 W, 8 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Cessa 1 IP+, 5 R, 5 H, 1 W, 0 K.   4.73. Rough outing. Frazier didn’t help.
Hale 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.   2.70

The Yanks (38-20) are off Monday. They are 2 1/2 up on the Rays, 8 1/2 up on Boston.

 

 

Game 57. The Kraken gets Crackin’. Sanchez HR gives Yanks 5-3 win.

Gary Sanchez’ league-leading 18th HR broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Yankees (38-19) a 5-3 win over Boston. With the win, the Yanks are now 2 1/2 up on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East and 9 1/2 up on the Boston Red Sox.

Starter Domingo German got 8 of the 11 outs he recorded via strikeout, but the problem was Boston made him work and 11 outs (3 2/3 innings) is all he lasted.

Boston scored first with a run in the top of the second.

The Yanks came back with three in the bottom of the second. Gleyber Torres singled (and got a scolding for lack of hustle, getting only a single), and Kendrys Morales singled. After Clint Frazier struck out, Gio Urshela singled in a run, and Brett Gardner singled to load the bases. D.J. LeMahieu singled in two runs to put the Yanks up 3-1.

German gave up a HR to the first batter in the top of the fourth, and later in the inning, for the second time against German in the game, Sandy Leon delivered a two-out RBI single. This one tied the game at 3.

Chad Green, who finished the fourth, got out of a 2nd and 3rd, one-out jam in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, with one out, Luke Voit singled, an out later, Sanchez hit his 2-run HR to put the Yanks up 5-3. The Yanks loaded the bases after that but couldn’t tack on, and there was no more scoring after that.

Six Yankees’ relievers shut out Boston over the last 5 1/3 IP. Both Zack Britton in the 8th and Aroldis Chapman in the 9th induced big DP balls.

LeMahieu 2 RBI
Voit 3 hits
Sanchez 2-run HR (18)
Morales 3 hits

German 3 2/3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 W, 8 K. Gave up 1 HR.  3.66
Green (W, 1-2, 9.72) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Kahnle (H, 11) 2/3  IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.52
Ottavino (H, 14) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.30. Struck out only batter he faced.
Holder (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.   4.30
Britton (H, 13) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  2.05
Chapman (S, 17) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K.  1.52

Check out the ERAs on Kahnle, Ottavino, Britton and Chapman.

With the heavy bullpen usage, I wouldn’t be surprised if you see Cessa or Hale tonight, because CC, who is starting, is just coming off the IL.

 

 

S.T. Game 13. Yanks fall, 6-5 to Tigers. Stanton Homers.

LF Giancarlo Stanton hit a massive 2-run HR, but the Yanks fell to Detroit 6-5 in S.T. action Friday night to go to 6-6-1 on the spring training season.

Masahiro Tanaka struck out the first four batters he faced before running into trouble. He had 5 K, as did Domingo German who also put up the K’s but also gave up runs.

A tough day for SS Troy Tulowitzki, 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts.

The Yanks loaded the bases with no out in the second but didn’t score.

SS Kyle Holder 2 hits, 2 RBI, solo HR.
RF Isiaih Gilliam 2 for 2
C Austin Romine 2 hits, RBI.

Tanaka 3 1/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Britton 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
German (L) 3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 1 W, 5 K. 1 HBP
Kahnle 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Meanwhile Esteban Loaiza, briefly with the Yanks in 2004, got 3 years for cocaine possession (with intent to distribute some 44 pounds worth), and once time is served, will be deported.

Lastly, I’d like to welcome two new nieces into the world! They were born Friday morning.

 

When will free agents sign?

We are about two weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting, and there are still a lot of free agents still unsigned, including four major ones in Harper, Machado, Kimbrel,  and Keuchel. There are others.

When will they finally sign?

Freddy Galvis signed a 1 yr, $4MM deal with Toronto.

Ex-Yankee Neil Walker went to the Marlins, 1 yr, $2MM.

The Red Sox signed Jennry Mejia to a minor league deal, even though he has been suspended 3x for PEDs. He last pitched in the majors in 2015.

Shawn Kelley to Texas 1 yr, $2.5 MM, option for a 2nd yr.

 

 

1996 WS MVP Wetteland arrested

This is the kind of story you never want to write.

John Wetteland, the MVP of the 1996 WS with the Yankees, was arrested and charged with child sexual abuse.

Wetteland, 52, pitched in the majors from 1989-2000 with the Dodgers (1989-1991), Expos (1992-1994) Yankees (1995-1996) and Rangers (1997-2000). He was a 3x All Star who went 48-45, 2.93 in his MLB career with 330 saves and an ERA of 2.93 (ERA+ 148).

He got MVP consideration four times, and CYA consideration once.

In 1996 he led the AL in saves with 43.

In postseason play, he was 0-1, 4.82 with seven saves. He saved all four of the Yankees’ wins in the 1996 WS.

Sad. Despicable.

In other news, the Yanks DFA’d Tim Locastro when they signed D.J. LaMahieu.