Larsen gets company! 4 Astro pitchers no-hit Phils to even WS.

On October 8, 1956, my father, an uncle and at least one of their friends were at Yankee Stadium as Don Larsen threw a perfect game in Game 5 of the World Series that year. The win put the Yanks up 3 games to 2 in a WS they would win in 7.

I don’t know who was there at Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia last night that I would know personally, as four Astros pitchers (Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly) combined to no-hit the Phillies in a 5-0 victory that evened the WS at two games apiece.

On June 25 of this year, I, along with about 40 other members of the Lehigh Valley Yankees Fan Club, were at Yankee Stadium when the Astros threw a combined no-hitter and no-hit the Yankees in a 3-0 Houston win. The pitchers then were Javier, Hector Neris, and Pressley.

I wondered about using Javier instead of Verlander in Game 4. Guess I was wrong. Now the Astros have the upper hand (it appears) since Game 5 tonight will feather the Phils’ Noah Syndergaard vs. Houston ace and future HOF Justin Verlander.

But Verlander is 0-6, 6.07 in WS play (even the great ones have bad postseasons). This is his chance to finally redeem himself.

But also wondering…. if this goes to a Game 7, will it be Nola vs. Javier again, each on 3 days rest?

How will the Phils bounce back? After all, I have always thought that the most OVERRATED HR in history was Carlton Fisk’s HR in Game 6 of the 1975 WS. After all, Boston then lost Game 7.This no-hitter is a wonderful and historic feat, but if the Phils win the WS, it, in the long run, won’t mean as much.

The other postseason no-no came via the Phils’ Roy Halladay, who no-hit the Reds in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS, and that also was at Citizens’ Bank Park in Philadelphia. I do know a couple of people who were at that one.

Game 162. Yanks drop regular season finale, finish 99-63. Next up, ALDS Game 1 Oct. 11.

The Yankees dropped their regular season finale, 4-2 to Texas to finish the season 99-63, 7 games in front of second place Toronto in the AL East. Game 1 of the ALDS is next Tuesday, October 11, at Yankee Stadium against the winner of the Tampa Bay/Cleveland Series.

The Yankees were 11-8 vs. Tampa Bay this season, and 5-1 against Cleveland.

Aaron Judge did not play in today’s game, getting a well-deserved rest after playing in 55 games in a row, with the last two weeks seeing incredible pressure. He finished second in the AL batting race at .311, five points back, so no Triple Crown, but he ends at .311-62 (new AL and Yankees record)-131, 16 SB, 111 walks, OPS+ 211 (! that could change by a point or so, but still, !) He led MLB in R, HR, RBI, OBP, SA, OPS, OPS+ and Total bases, and the AL in walks.

It’s amazing how many people wanted him to play in a meaningless game today. What if he would have pulled a hamstring running out a double? Or gotten hit by a pitch that broke his wrist? It was smart to have him out of the lineup and save him for the playoffs. People can be so dumb sometimes.

The Yanks scored first in the second inning when with one out, Oswald Peraza walked. Jose Trevino singled Peraza to third and one out later, Kyle Higashioka hit an RBI single.

Yankees’ starter and losing pitcher Domingo German gave up a HR to Charlie Culberson in the third that just snuck around the LF foul pole. Tie game, 1-1.

The Yanks went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth on a HR by Trevino (11).

German gave up a HR to Jonah Heim in the bottom of the fourth that tied the game at two, then two runs in the bottom of the fifth that cost him the game. He wasn’t helped by an error from Aaron Hicks or a double that Josh Donaldson probably should have made a play on. Final score 4-2.

Trevino 2 hits, solo HR (11)

German (L, 2-5) 4 1/3 IP, 4 R, 7 H, 1 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR. 3.61
Abreu 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.26 Just off IL
Castro 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 0 K. 1 WP 4.03
Trivino 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.53 (A’s/NYY ERA)
Luetge 1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.67

Game 160. Yanks win 1st game of day/night DH 5-4. 3 HR hit, but Judge still waiting on 62.

Now we start wondering if #62 will come at all.

Aaron Judge was 1 for 5 with a single in the first game of a day/night DH, a game the Yankees (99-61) won 5-4. He is now hitting .310 after that game.

The Yanks have just the night game tonight and an afternoon game tomorrow left in their season before their postseason begins with Game 1 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium on October 11.

The Yanks did hit three HR in the game, including the first MLB HR by Oswald Peraza.

Oswaldo Cabrera got the scoring started with a HR in the top of the first inning (6).

Yanks’ starter Jameson Taillon gave two runs back in the bottom of the first and had to get out of a bases-loaded jam or else he would have given up more than that. Texas up 2-1 after one inning.

Peraza hit his HR in the top of the second to tie the game.

The Yanks went up 3-2 in the top of the fifth. Peraza (who has been playing great since he has been called up, as has Cabrera) singled and stole second. After a popup, Marwin Gonzalez singled in Peraza.

But Taillon gave up a 2-run HR in the bottom of the fifth and Texas took a 4-3 lead.

The Yanks’ winning rally came in the top of the eighth. Kyle Higashioka, hot lately, led off the inning with a HR (10) to tie the game. Judge singled and Anthony Rizzo was HBP. Cabrera sacrificed both runners over, and Harrison Bader singled to give the Yanks the eventual winning run.

Cabrera solo HR (6)
Peraza 2 hits, solo HR (1) FIRST MLB HR
Higashioka solo HR (10)

Taillon 6 IP, 4 R, 7 H, 2 W, 5 K. 1 HBP Gave up 1 HR. 3.91
Chapman (W, 4-4) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.46 The Chapman we need to see.
Weissert (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.56
Loaisiga (S, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.13

Ron Marinaccio to the IL. He will miss the ALDS. Albert Abreu back off the IL.

Game 156. No #62 yet, and Yanks lose, 2-1.

Aaron Judge will have to wait for HR #62, going 1 for 2 with a pair of walks in the Yankees’ (96-60) 2-1 loss to Baltimore Friday night.

Judge is at .314, about 7/10th of a point behind Minnesota’s Luis Arraez (.315) as Judge also goes for a Triple Crown.

A couple of mistakes, lack of control, no run support and a lot of rust hurt the Yanks in the loss.

In the first inning, Baltimore scored on a walk, a SB, a throwing error on Jose Trevino on the SB that allowed Cedric Mullins of Baltimore to go to third, and an RBI single. I thought Gleyber Torres should have caught or at least knocked down Trevino’s throw, but it is what it is.

The Yanks only got four hits in the game, struck out 13x, and their only run came on a HR by Oswaldo Cabrera (5) in the bottom of the fifth. No way does Cabrera not make the postseason roster. Even if D.J. LeMahieu, Andrew Benintendi or Matt Carpenter do get over their injuries and make it.

As for someone else, I’ll get to that in a bit.

Domingo German was the tough luck loser in this game, having pitched well, but getting no run support save for Cabrera’s HR.

In the top of the sixth, German walked the first two hitters before getting a groundout that moved the runners up. He was then relieved by Zack Britton.

Britton is just coming off of TJ surgery and it is said that control is the last thing to return. Britton walked a batter before throwing a WP that enabled the deciding run in the game to score. He was then removed with a tired arm. Nice try in coming back and hoping to make the postseason roster. It is obvious that Britton isn’t ready yet.

It will be interesting to see if Matt Carpenter, now taking batting practice, can get a couple of games in before the postseason, and if he can make the postseason roster, because if Giancarlo Stanton wasn’t Giancarlo Stanton, and making over $30MM a year, then based on performance alone, Stanton should NOT be on the postseason roster. Stanton is hitting .140 since coming off the IL, and .156 since June 1. If the Yanks had guts (and it would be a highly controversial move), if Carpenter is ok, they put Carpenter on the postseason roster and DH him and leave Stanton off of it. It won’t happen, though. But the Yanks are racing against the clock to get Stanton straightened out. I fear Stanton will kill the Yanks in the playoffs. He’s been THAT awful. Gallo-like awful. If Stanton is on the postseason roster, as expected, then PLEASE Aaron Boone, drop him in the lineup. To Seventh. Maybe even Eighth like Joe Torre did with A-Rod in 2006. You can’t just keep putting him 4 or 5.

But then, Boone had Gallo hitting cleanup in last year’s wildcard game loss at Boston. Sigh. Don’t make the same mistake, Boonie.

LeMahieu came off the IL for the game. Locastro taken off the roster. LeMahieu went 0 for 3 and we will see if D.J. is good enough to be on the postseason roster or not. Soon, we see about Benintendi, too.

Feelings be damned. If someone isn’t ready or deserves to be on the postseason roster, then leave him off. You can’t mess around come playoff time.

Today’s game may be delayed or postponed. The weather forecast calls for rain in NYC.

Cabrera 2 hits, solo HR (5)

German (L, 2-4) 5 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 W, 6 K. 3.31 Tough loss.
Britton 0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 1 WP. 13.50 Rusty. Not ready. Go home and heal up more.
Marinaccio 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 3 K. 2.09
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.11
Effross 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.59 (Cubs/NYY)

Boone also revealed postgame that right-handed reliever Clay Holmes received a cortisone injection for inflammation in his right rotator cuff and likely won’t pitch again until the American League Division Series starts Oct. 11. We will have to see how he is. Meanwhile, Wandy Peralta should be off the IL by then, and Miguel Castro and Albert Abreu have finished rehab. The Yanks will have a LOT of interesting decisions to make regarding the postseason roster.

AA Somerset wins Eastern League title in impressive fashion. 15-0 with a combined no-hitter.

Usually, I start at the highest level and work my way down. Not today.

AA Somerset won the third and deciding game of the Eastern League Finals in commanding and historic fashion, scoring 9 runs in the bottom of the first inning on way to a 15-0 blowout victory.

In doing so, they threw a combined no-hitter. What a way to win the Eastern League title.

Somerset starter Randy Vasquez (I thought they’d go with Clayton Beeter, but they went with Vasquez) retired the first 19 batters he faced before giving up a walk. Vasquez pitched 8 innings, and Carson Coleman finished up for the combined no-hitter.

Jasson Dominguez (“the Martian”), the Yankees 19-year-old #2 prospect, hit 2 HR, one from each side of the plate, and drove in 6 runs in the victory.

CF Jasson Dominguez 3 hits, 2 HR, 6 RBI #2 prospect.
3B Andres Chaparro 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR.
RF Jeisson Rosario 2 hits, 2 RBI 2-run HR.
2B Jesus Bastidas 2 RBI
1B Mickey Gasper 2 hits, 2 RBI
LF Brandon Lockridge 2 hits #28 prospect.

Randy Vasquez (WIN) 8 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 8 K. #16 prospect
Carson Coleman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 HBP


AAA SWB closed out their season with a 3-0 win. They finished at 83-67, and finished in second place in the IL East, 3 games back.

2B Derek Dietrich solo HR (3)

Between AA and AAA, Yankees #1 prospect Anthony Volpe hit .249-21-65 with 50 SB.

Boyle (W, 5-1) 5 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 5 K. 1 WP 3.61
Abreu (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.70 REHAB
M. Gomez (H, 9) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.84
Guzman (H, 1) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K. 0.00 Position player. SWB 1st baseman.
Barnes (H, 3) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.57
Cordero (S, 6) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.09

Minor League Action. SWB’s tragic # is 1.

AAA SWB lost the completion of a suspended game, and that coupled with a win by Durham, dropped SWB’s tragic # for being eliminated to 1. SWB did win the regularly scheduled game.

But SWB (82-66) is now 2 games out with 2 games left in the season.

COMPLETION OF SUSPENDED GAME--Lost 5-4 in ten innings. Was suspended at 1-1 in the sixth inning on August 7.

Since then, Peraza and Cabrera now with Yankees, Andujar now with Pirates.

PR/SS Tyler Wade solo HR (2)
C Josh Breaux 2-run HR (5) #22 prospect Overall .219-19-50

Spence 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.79
Rich Rodriguez 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 8.31
Mujica 2 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gaveup 2 HR. 4.37
Shreve (BS, 1) 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 9.00
Bard (L, 0-1) 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.68

REGULAR GAME–Won 8-7 in 11 innings.
SS Anthony Volpe 2 hits, solo HR (3) #1 prospect Overall .248-21-65, 49 SB
DH Ryan LaMarre 2 for 2, 3 walks.
1B Ron Guzman 2 RBI. 2-run HR (16)
3B Armando Alvarez 3 hits, 2 RBI. Solo HR (18)

Spence 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 W, 6 K. gave up 1 HR. 1 HBP 3.86 (remember game listed above he started Aug 7)
Albert Abreu 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.86 REHAB
M. Gomez (BS, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.92
Deivi Garcia (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 7.96 #26 prospect. Overall: 4-5, 6.89
Barnes (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.70
Cordero (BS, 1) 1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.15
Bristo (W, 3-3) 2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. 4.56

Minor League Action. 4-1 win for SWB as Castro, Abreu rehab. SWB 1/2 game out with days to go.

AAA SWB (80-64) beat Lehigh Valley 4-1.
CF Estevan Florial 2 RBI #15 prospect .290-15-45, 36 SB
LF Blake Perkins 3 for 3
2B Tyler Wade 3 hits, RBI, SB

Boyle (W, 4-1) 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 1 HBP 4.04
Miguel Castro (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00 REHAB
Albert Abreu (H, 1) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K. 0.00 REHAB
Bristo (H, 3) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.73
Shreve (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 0.00
Cordero (S, 4) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.77

SWB is in second place, 1/2 a game out. There are five games left in the season, as well as the completion of a game started on August 7 in which the score is tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

Minor League Action from 9/21/22. SWB loses on walk off, 4-3.

AAA: SWB (78-64) gave up the tying run in the bottom of the eighth and the winning run in the bottom of the ninth and lost to Lehigh Valley, 4-3.

LF/2B Chris Owings 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (8)
C Ben Rortvedt 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (5)
RF/LF Ryan LaMarre 3 hits, RBI

Jhony Brito 1 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K. gave up 1 HR. 3.29 #24 prospect. Overall: 11-4, 2.94
Krook 3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 W, 0 K. 1 WP. 4.19
Duffey 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 9.82
Albert Abreu 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00 REHAB
Stephen Ridings 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00 REHAB
Barnes (BS, 2) 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 1 WP 1 Balk 3.00
Banda (L, 0-1) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP 2.08

AA Somerset’s playoff series resumes tonight. Game 2 of Eastern League Semifinals. Somerset is up 1 game to 0.

Minor League Action from 9-18-22. 1st AA HR for “The Martian”. AA playoffs start Tuesday. Effross AAA rehab. Abreu AA rehab.

AAA: SWB (77-63) lost 3-2.
CF Blake Perkins 2 hits, RBI
2B Chad Bell 2 for 2
RF Michael Beltre 2 hits

Chi Chi Gonzalez 5 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.36
Effross (L, 0-1) 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR. 10.80 REHAB
Bard 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.54
Deivi Garcia 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 7.75 #26 prospect. Overall: 4-5, 6.71
Zach Greene 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.34

AA: Somerset (83-53) won 6-3. This concludes their regular season.
As the first-half division champ, Somerset will start a best-of-3 semifinal playoff vs. Portland at Portland on Tuesday.

DH Jasson Dominguez solo HR (1). First AA HR for “The Martian”
#2 prospect. Overall stats (3 levels): .273-16-59, 37 SB. Just 19 years old.

3B Andres Chaparro 2-run HR (19)
2B Jesus Bastidas 2 Hits, 2 RBI Solo HR (18)
C Rodolfo Duran Solo HR (9)

Yoendrys Gomez 4 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 7 K. 1 HBP. 3.86 #12 prospect. Overall: 1-0, 2.49
Myatt 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 0 K. 1 WP 4.30
Albert Abreu (W, 1-0) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00 REHAB
McGarrity (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.30
Semple (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.63
Ramirez 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 1.93

Everyone is off today in the Yankees Universe. Majors and Minors.
Me too, as I have been out a while on disability and have a medical procedure today.

Game 123. German outduels Scherzer, Yanks beat Mets 4-2.

Catching up on moves before the game recap.

Albert Abreu to the IL. The Yanks brought up Luke Bard, who was at AAA after the Yanks recently plucked him off of the waiver wire. Bard, a RHP, is 4-4, 4.50 in his career, mostly for the Angels.

Also going on the IL is Scott Effross, who the Yanks just recently got off of the Cubs at the trade deadline. Clarke Schmidt was brought back up.

Giancarlo Stanton is expected to come off the IL on Thursday. He will strictly DH at first.

You never know. That is why you play the games. For example, in the mid-1960s, when the Mets were really, really terrible, a young pre-closer Tug McGraw outdueled future HOF Sandy Koufax. Who’d have thought?

Last night, if you bet on the game, you’d probably take future HOF Max Scherzer over Domingo German, especially with the way the Yanks have played in August (6-14). But German outpitched Scherzer, and the Yanks (75-48) beat the Mets 4-2. The Yankees’ magic # for winning the AL East is now 33.

Had Scherzer won, he would have gotten career win #200 before his 100th loss. Not too many pitchers have done that (Whitey Ford is one who did). Instead, he is 199-100 for his career.

The Yanks struck early, getting a run in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Benintendi, who is heating up, was HBP. One out later, Anthony Rizzo singled Benintendi to third. Benintendi just got in ahead of the tag when D.J. LeMahieu hit a SF. 1-0.

After going over a week without a HR, Aaron Judge finally got HR #47, touching Scherzer in the bottom of the third inning. 2-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, Isiah Kiner-Falefa doubled, went to third on a sac bunt by Marwin Gonzalez, and scored on a double by Benintendi. 3-0, Yankees.

German was cruising until the Yanks messed up in the top of the seventh. With one out, a popup to short RF was dropped when there was miscommunication between 2B Oswaldo Cabrera and RF Gonzalez as to who would catch the ball. Because of the collision, Cabrera dropped it for an error. Two pitches later, German made his only mistake, giving up a 2-run HR to Daniel Vogelbach. 3-2.

The Yanks came right back in the bottom of the seventh, getting an insurance run. With one out, Kiner-Falefa singled with one out and went to second on a throwing error by Mets’ SS Francisco Lindor. One out later, Benintendi singled to make it 4-2, which wound up as the final score.

Benintendi 2 hits, 2 RBI
Judge 2 hits, solo HR (47)
Kiner-Falefa 2 hits.

German (W, 2-2) 6 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. 3.89
Marinaccio (H, 4) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1.72
Loaisiga (S, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.76