Game 156. Yanks rally with 5 in 9th to win “brawl” game.

The Yankees scored 5 times in the top of the ninth and won 7-5 over Toronto in a game that saw a brushback battle, and Luis Severino, Joe Girardi, Rob Thompson and Larry Rothschild all ejected.

The Yanks go to 80-76 and close the season with six games at home. They are all but officially eliminated, being 5 out of a playoff spot with six games to go. The most wins the Yanks can have is 86. Toronto already has that and Baltimore has 85. Not only that, there are three teams between the Yanks and Baltimore.

In the first, Gardner got on on a bunt single (where was that all year) and went to third on a 2-base throwing error on the play. He scored on an RBI groundout by Sanchez.

In the bottom of the first, with one out, Severino hit Josh Donaldson with a pitch. A single and two walks later, the game was tied at 1. Severino got out of the inning giving up just that one run.

In the top of the second, Headley was HBP and the benches cleared. Girardi was tossed. In the bottom of the second, Toronto’s Josh Smoak was drilled, benches emptied and more ejections were made.

Toronto got two in the third to go up 3-1.

The Yanks got one back in the eighth. Gardner, who doubled,  scored on an RBI single by Ellsbury.

In the ninth, Teixeira homered with one out (14) to tie the game. #408 of his career passed Duke Snider on the all-time list. Gregorius singled, and Hicks homered (8) to put the Yanks up 5-3. Solano doubled, Gardner walked, and Ellsbury singled in a run to make it 6-3. Sanchez got a SF to make it 7-3.

Betances came in and needed help. He once again looked completely out of gas and couldn’t field his position. Layne came in to save it.

Gardner had 3 hits and scored 3 runs. Ellsbury had 2 hits and 2 RBI. 2 RBI for Sanchez. Big 2-run HR for Hicks.

Severino 1+ IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 1 K. 2 HBP. Ejected. 5.75
Holder 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 walks, 0 K. 7.11
Pazos 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K, 7.71
Yates 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 walks, 3 K. 5.36
Bleier 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 2.33
Warren (w, 7-4, 4.64 Cubs/NYY) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K.
Betances 0 IP,  2 R, 1 earned, 0 H, 2 walks, 0 K.  Made an error. 3.13. Faced 3 batters, all reached. 2 walks and an error.
Layne (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 3.14.

James Kaprielian, who was dominant in spring training and in three games for High-A Tampa this year before being shut down with a flexor strain, is now OK and will be making up time in the Arizona Fall League this offseason. Good news.

Game 155. Yanks lose again, a MLB tragedy, and a golfing legend passes.

Before I get to the Yankees’ game, I need to mention a few other things.

First, a tragedy. Marlins’ ace Jose Fernandez was one of a few people killed in a boating accident early Sunday morning. He was just 24. There were rumors that 4 teams, including the Yankees, were looking to trade for him in the off season. Fernandez was 16-8, 2.86 this season with 253 K. He was 38-17 in his short career with an ERA of 2.58. He already was one of the best starting pitchers in the game. He was the 2013 NL ROY, and already a 2x All Star. Who knows what more he could have done over the next 13 years or so.

Secondly, golfing legend Arnold Palmer passed away at the age of 87. My mom knew his wife. I think she went to school with Palmer’s future wife when both were about 14, 15 or so. It’s sad when a true humble gentleman like Palmer goes. Too many athletes today are narcissistic, self-centered brats. RIP to both Fernandez and Arnie.

As for the Yanks, they battled back to tie and take the lead in the top of the ninth, only to blow it in the bottom of the ninth, 4-3. The loss drops them to 79-76 with 7 games left.

No need to post an elimination number from the playoffs. It’s just a matter of time. They are 3-11 in their last 14 games.

Jose Bautista homered in the 4th to put Toronto up 1-0. Didi Gregorius tied it in the 7th with a HR (19).

In the bottom of the eighth, Toronto scored off Betances to go up 2-1.

That inning showed once again, one of two faults that Betances, as good as he is, has. One, he doesn’t hold runners on well. A big (6’8″) man with a deliberate motion and long stride to the plate, it’s easy to steal off of him. He also does not field his position well, especially with throws to the bases. This includes pickoffs.

The Yanks battled back and took the lead in the top of the ninth. Teix singled and was PR for. PH Butler singled and was PR for.  Headley grounded out, moving both runners up. Mason Williams singled in a run. Ronald Torreyes hit a SF.

Betances (who I wrote recently as being out of gas) walked the lead off hitter to lead off the bottom of the 9th. Clippard came in, and it’s been a bad week for him.   He gave up a single. 1st and 3rd, none out. A bunt single, and an error, tied the game and put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Clippard got a strikeout, then loaded the bases with an intentional walk to set up a DP. No DP. Edwin Encaracion singled to win the game.

Pineda 5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 walks, 7 K. 4.78 Gave UP 1 HR.
Warren 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 4.79 (Cubs/NYY)
Betances 1 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 2 K. 3.00
Clippard (BS, 3; L, 3-6, 3.73) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 walk, 1K.

 

As for my football team today (not to mention my alma mater yesterday), ouch. Between the Yanks, those two football teams, and some personal things, what a lousy week.

 

Game 150. Sanchez does it again! Yanks win 5-3.

Forgive me for a moment as I play devil’s advocate.

If you are the manager of another team, and the score is tied, and the other team has runners on 2nd and 3rd with two out…

and the HOTTEST hitter in baseball is up at the plate…

do you pitch to him? Or walk him to load the bases for the next hitter, hoping for a force at any base?

And if you are the owner of a manager who decides to pitch to him anyway, only to see that batter hit a 3-run homer that wins the game, do you fire that manager?

For that is exactly what happened in the Yankees’ 5-3 win over Tampa Bay Tuesday night.

Of the 16 outs Michael Pineda recorded for the Yanks tonight, 11 were by strikeout. He gave up a two-run triple in the third to put the Yanks in a 2-0 hole.

Mark Teixeira hit a HR in the fourth to cut it to 2-1. Teix’s 13th HR of the year was #407 of his career, tying him with Duke Snider on the all-time HR list.

In the seventh, Ronald Torreyes and Mason Williams each singled. 1st and 3rd, one out. As I mentioned before, I think the Yanks should look at dealing Gardner for a decent starting pitcher and look into giving the LF job to Williams in 2017. He might platoon with Frazier (Williams vs. RHP,  Frazier or Hicks vs. Lefties).

Gardner singled to tie the game, Williams going to third. Gardner stole 2nd while Hicks (just off the DL) stuck out.

So 2 out. Men on 2nd and 3rd, tie game. Sanchez up and 1st base open. Would you pitch to the hottest hitter in baseball or walk him?

Fortunately for us Yankees fans, Tampa Bay manager pitched to Sanchez. He should be fired for his decision. Sanchez hit a 3-run HR (17) to the delight of us Yankees fans.

Was he kidding? Pitching to Sanchez right now?

Thank you very much, Kevin Cash.

In the 8th, a triple and WP let the Rays score a run.

Pineda 5 1/3 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 walk, 11 K. 4.89
Layne 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 3.24 (Bos/NYY).
Once again, Girardi uses Layne for just 1 batter. AAAARGH! At least THIS time, it didn’t burn him.

Severino (w, 3-8, 5.88) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K.
Clippard (H, 23)  1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 3.22 (AZ/NYY)
Betances (S, 12) 1 P, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 2.79.

Anthony Swarzak was called back to the Yanks, the other day.

The win puts the Yanks at 78-72 with 12 games left.

 

Game 146. Killer. Yanks blow game and probably postseason chances by giving up 5 in 9th. Lose 7-5 to Boston.

It seems like Dellin Betances is running out of gas.

On Wednesday, Betances gave up 2 runs in the 9th to the Dodgers, albeit both runs were unearned (one error was his own) as the Yanks lost 2-0.

Thursday night he gave up a walk-off three-run HR to Hanley Ramirez as Boston scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Yanks 7-5.

This loss is a killer. It drops the Yanks to 77-69, five back of Boston for the division with just 16 games to play. The difference between 3 back of Boston and 5 back.

As for the wild card, they are 3 back and need to jump 3 teams. Had they hung on (they were one out away from a win), they would have been 78-68, tied with both Detroit and Seattle, 2 games out of that final wild card spot.

How can I say it. This loss was devastating.

First, let’s look at Betances, who leads the AL in games pitched with 69.

In his last five appearances, he has given up runs in four of them. His ERA has gone from 2.05 to 2.83, and remember, the two runs he gave up in the loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday were unearned.

In those five games since September 5, he has given up 9 runs, 7 earned, in four innings. 10 hits, 4 walks, 6 K.

It’s not just the one game. Since it is five games going back over 10 days, it seems like his tank is empty.

Masahiro Tanaka was once again brilliant. The Yanks’ best player of 2016 should get CYA and possibly MVP consideration. He gave up just 1 run in 7 innings.

In the first, with one out, Ellsbury singled, Sanchez doubled, and Castro singled in a run. New Yankee Billy Butler hit a SF to make it 2-0.

The Yanks went up 4-0 in the third. With one out, Castro doubled and Butler singled him home. Gregorius doubled Butler to third, and Headley singled Butler in.

Boston got a run in the third off Tanaka to cut it to 4-1.

A walk to Gardner, SB, PB and RBI single by Castro made it 5-1 Yanks in the fourth. So it stayed until the eighth.

The Yanks missed a chance in the fifth when Gregorius doubled and stole third. Here is one fault I have with Girardi. He NEVER, EVER attempts to squeeze a run home. With a man on third and no one out, Headley, Refsnyder and Austin all struck out.

Like I say often, you’d kill for that SF.

I’d kill for a successful squeeze play.

Later in the game, Mason Williams hit one on the screws with the bases loaded, but right back at the pitcher, who snared it.

Tanaka was pulled after 7 innings and 93 pitches. Personally, I would have run him out there for the 8th and even the 9th as long as he didn’t get into trouble. I like Girardi, but he left himself open for a lot of second-guessing in this game.

In the eighth, David Ortiz homered off of Adam Warren to make it 5-2. The homer was Ortiz’ 537th career HR, and passed Mickey Mantle on the all-time list.

A bad night for the Mick turned into a bad night for the Yanks.

In the ninth, Tommy Layne came in and struck out his only batter.

Why Girardi uses Layne as a LOOGY (Lefty One Out Guy), I don’t know and I don’t like it. If a guy is doing well, leave him the hell in there.

So not only would I have left Tanaka in, I also would have left Layne in.

Instead, Girardi played mix and match, and too many cooks spoil the soup. It burned him as Boston then got five runs to win the game.

In came Blake Parker, who faced one batter, Chris Young, and hit him with a pitch.

In came Betances, who, as I wrote above, seems like he may be running out of gas.

Young went to second on defensive indifference. Pedroia walked.

Both runners moved up on defensive indifference. I hate defensive indifference. Play the game.

Bogaerts reached on a fielder’s choice. The runner at third getting caught in a rundown.

First and second, two out. One out away.

Ortiz (who else?) singled to make it 5-3.

Betts singled to make it 5-4.

A passed ball moved up the runners, putting the winning run on second. Not needed, because Hanley Ramirez hit a 3-run HR to win the game.

Devastating.

Castro was 4 for 5 with 2 RBI.

Tanaka 7 IP, 1 R,  4 H, 3 walks, 0 K. 2.97
Warren 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 1 K. 4.84 (Cubs/NYY) Gave up 1 HR.
Layne (H, 10) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 3.38 (Bos/NYY)
Parker 0 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.14 (Sea/NYY). Faced one batter, HBP.
Betances (BS, 5; L, 3-6, 2.83) 1/3 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 1 walk, 0 K. Gave up walk-off 3-run HR.

Game 145. Yanks blanked, 2-0.

I am going to compare two pitchers for you. Each pitcher is over a six year period of his career.

A. Average year over the six year period: 22-8, 2.19. 272 IP, 286 K.

B. Average year over a six year period: 17-7, 2.24, 222 IP, 244 K.

Both are lefties. Both were and are Dodgers.

Pretty damn close, right? The big difference is that A pitched in a 4-main rotation, B in a five-man.

Pitcher A is Koufax, 1961-1966. Pitcher B is Kershaw, 2010-2015.

The Yanks of course, faced Kershaw on Wednesday. No easy feat.

Rain and a recent back injury kept Kershaw to only 5 innings vs. the Yanks, but in those 5 innings, he gave up 0 runs and only 1 hit. The bullpen for the Dodgers was just as good as the Dodgers beat the Yanks, 2-0.

The Yanks got just 3 hits and struck out 14x.

Both Dodger runs came in the top of the ninth, and both runs were unearned due to errors by Castro and Betances.

Before the game, the Yanks called up Mason Williams to replace the injured Aaron Judge. After the game, the Yanks signed recently released Billy Butler (1B/DH) to a contract. Butler was previously with KC and Oakland in his career.

The Yanks fall to 77-68. 17 games left in the season. They have an 11 game road trip that starts with 4 in Boston.

Pineda 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 walks, 5 k. 4.94.
Layne 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 k. 3.40 (Bos/NYY)
Severino 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks 1 K. 5.98.
Clippard 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 3.02 (AZ/NYY)
Betances (L, 3-5, 2.33) 1 IP, 2 R, BOTH UNEARNED, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K.

Game 144. Yanks shut out Dodgers, 3-0.

The Yanks got back-to-back HRs from a pair of teammates who didn’t start the game, and beat the Dodgers 3-0 Tuesday night.

The win puts the Yanks at 77-67, 4 back in the AL East chase with 18 games to go. They are 2 out of a playoff spot.

The win was big because the Yanks had lost two in a row and face Clayton Kershaw tonight.

CC Sabathia pitched shutout ball into the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Jacoby Ellsbury homered to break the scoreless tie. It was Ellsbury’s 9th HR of the year. He didn’t start the game, but came in after Aaron Judge got hurt.

The next batter was Didi Gregorius, pinch-hitting for Ronald Torreyes. Didi hit his 18th HR of the year to make it 2-0.

In the eighth, Gary Sanchez homered (14) to make it 3-0.

Sabathia 6 1/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 walk and 7 K. 4.10.
Warren (w, 6-3, 4.76, Cubs/NYY) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K.
Clippard (H, 22) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.07 (Az/NYY)
Betances (S, 11) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 2.36

 

Game 140. Teix slams Rays, 7-5.

Remember Arte Johnson on Laugh-In? (Yes, I’m dating myself). He had a character that would say “VERRRRRRRRRRRRY INTERESTING!”. For that is what the AL East and the wild card spots are right now, and the Yankees, surprisingly after the trade deadline selloffs, are in the thick of it.

Gary Sanchez homered, and Mark Teixeira hit a grand slam, as the Yanks beat the Rays 7-5 on Friday night in a game that featured three rain delays. With the win, the Yanks’ sixth in a row, the Yanks are now 75-65.

So here is a look at how the AL East stands right now. Tampa Bay of course, is WAY back.

Boston
Toronto -2
Baltimore -3
YANKEES -4

As for the wild card, here you go:

Toronto (as of now, has Wild Card #1)  +1
Detroit and Baltimore are tied for Wild Card #2, one game back of Toronto —-
Yankees -1 (need to jump two teams, Detroit and Baltimore)
Houston -2 1/2
Seattle – 3 1/2
KC -4.

Very interesting, indeed. The Yanks have won 12 of their last 16 games. Ever since A-Rod and Teix announced their retirements, they have taken off.

The Yanks scored immediately in the bottom of the first when Ellsbury singled and Refsnyder doubled him home. After Sanchez struck out, Castro singled but Refsnyder was thrown out at the plate.

The Yanks got two in the third to go up 3-0. Sanchez homered (12), and after Castro struck out, Teixeira doubled. Didi moved Teix up with a groundout, and that was huge because Teix was then able to score on a WP.

Michael Pineda gave up back-to-back HR to Logan Morrison and Stephen Souza (Souza is killing us this series) in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2.

But in the bottom of the fourth, with two out, Refsnyder and Sanchez singled, Castro walked, and Teix hit a grand slam to make it 7-2. Teix’s HR was #12 of the season and #406 of his career, putting him one behind Duke Snider on the all-time list.

The Yanks then held on, giving up two in the sixth and one in the ninth, to win 7-5.

One thing that worries me a bit: Betances has been struggling lately.

One thing about Sanchez. It’s not just the HR. It’s the defense as well. He picked a runner off of second in the game with that cannon of an arm he has.

Nice patience: The Yanks drew 11 walks in the game.

Once again, Girardi was Captain Hook, pulling a starter before the starter could go the necessary five for the win. At this point in the season, with extra pitchers available because of the extended rosters, and needing to play catch up in the standings, he is playing matchup more than usual. It’s all about getting the win, no matter who gets it.

Pineda 4 2/3 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 2 walks, 7 K. Gave up 2 HR. 5.07.
Shreve 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 5.23
Warren (w, 5-3, 4.88, Cubs/NYY) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K.
Layne (H, 9) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.49 (Bos/NYY)
Clippard (H, 21) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 3.13 (AZ/NYY)
Betances (S, 10) 1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 2.41.

One final note: Sometimes I get asked to be friends on Facebook. If I refuse or ignore it, please don’t be offended. I do make a distinction between friends and acquaintances. For example, I am opinionated, as you sometimes see in this blog. I don’t only write about the Yankees, but on other things as well, and in this election season, my viewpoints may or may not be to your liking. My friends know me. They see me. They’ve known me for a long time. They understand me. So if you only know me through this blog, don’t be offended if I don’t take you up on a friend request. As I mentioned, the distinction between friend and acquaintance. I hope you understand.