Game 59. Late blasts lead Yanks to 4-1 win over Mets.

Late HRs by Brett Gardner and Giancarlo Stanton broke open a pitcher’s duel and enabled the Yanks (41-18) to beat the Mets 4-1 Friday night. The win, coupled with Boston’s 1-0 loss, puts the Yanks 1/2 game up on the 43-21 Red Sox. So the Yanks have played five less games than Boston, meaning if the Yanks go 3-2 in those five games, they are one game better.

Masahiro Tanaka gave up a HR on the second pitch he threw tonight, but after that was great.

In the top of the sixth, the Yanks tied the game but lost Tanaka. Tanaka reached on an error. Now he had to run the bases. Torres singled, Gardner walked to load the bases and Judge hit a SF, scoring Tanaka. But Tanaka’s hamstrings tightened up running the bases and he had to leave the game.

Hasn’t MLB learned the lesson of Chien-Ming Wang a few years ago? Haven’t they learned that it is grossly unfair for AL teams to play one way for 153 games a season but to have their pitchers do something completely different for 9 inter-league games a year?

It is inevitable, and make it happen soon. Make the NL adopt the DH. The NL, and one league in Japan, are the ONLY leagues (and that includes the minors) that don’t implement the DH. With the high cost of some AL pitchers’ salaries, isn’t it time the NL adopts the DH or is forced to do so?

Besides, who the hell pays a ticket to watch pitchers hit?

Anyway, tie game, Tanaka out and the bullpen takes over. We’ll find out tomorrow how bad it is and if Tanaka has to miss a start or go on the DL.

In the top of the eighth, with two out, Torres singled and Gardner hit a 2-run HR (5) that bounced off the top of the fence and over the wall. 3-1 Yanks over DeGrom who pitched a great game against the Yanks tonight.

Giancarlo Stanton got HR #15 off a Mets reliever in the top of the ninth.

The Mets, struggling lately, found out before the game that their closer, Familia, went on the DL and that one of their best starters, Syndergaard, will not face Severino Sunday night. Seve faces Seth Lugo instead, and I and friends will be at the Sunday night game.

Torres 2 hits.
Gardner 2 hits, 2-run HR.
Stanton solo HR.

They had all five of the Yankees’ hits.

Tanaka 5 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 H, 8 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.58
Holder 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.61
Green (W, 4-0, 2.03) 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Betances (H, 5) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.67
Chapman (S, 16) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP. 1.35

Golden State swept the Cavs for the NBA title, and last night, the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup.

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Game 58. Yanks blank Jays in 13, 3-0.

The game was scoreless in the top of the thirteenth inning when Aaron Judge hit a 2-run HR (17) and Giancarlo Stanton followed later with a solo one (14) to enable the Yankees to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 and stay one game behind Boston in the AL East. The Yanks are 40-18, Boston 43-19. (The Yanks have played four less games. If they go 3-1 in those four games, then the teams are tied).

Sonny Gray was fabulous. This is the Sonny Gray the Yanks traded for last year and hope to have for the rest of the season.

Gardner 2 hits.
Judge 2-run HR
Stanton solo HR.

Gray 8 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 W, 8 K. 4.81
Green 2 iP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.10
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.81
Robertson (W, 4-2, 4.08) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Chapman (S, 15) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.40

The Yanks are off Thursday. They play the Mets in Queens in a three game series this weekend. I’ll be at the Sunday night game.

 

Games 55 & 56. Yanks split DH with Tigers.

The Yanks split a DH with Detroit, winning the first game behind 3 HRs and Luis Severino 7-4, but losing the second game 4-2.

Clint Frazier was the 26th man for the DH today. Between games, Adam Warren was brought up and Tommy Kahnle was sent down.

It was an awful day for Aaron Judge, who went 0 for 9 for the day with 8 strikeouts.

Game 1:  Detroit got a run in the first on an RBI double by future HOF Miguel Cabrera. In the third, Gleyber Torres 10th HR of the season tied the game. Torres is the youngest Yankee to 10 career HR since Mickey Mantle.

The Yanks got six runs in the fourth inning. Greg Bird made it 2-1 with his second HR of the season. After that, Stanton and Didi singled, and Andujar singled to drive in a run. Frazier singled to make it 4-1. Romine hit a 3-run HR (4), 7-1. Frazier was sent back down after the DH (no room on the roster).

Detroit got an unearned run in the fifth off Severino, and two unearned runs in the ninth.

Bird solo HR
Torres solo HR
Romine 3-run HR.

Severino (W, 9-1, 2.20) 8 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 W, 10 K.
Holder 2/3 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.75
Chapman (S, 14) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.46

Game 2: Lost 4-2. The Yanks struck out 14x. Judge with the platinum sombrero, 0 for 5, 5 strikeouts. It seems as if Domingo German pitches just well enough to lose. He’s still looking for his first MLB win. He didn’t pitch that badly, but it seems he really needs a game where the Yanks give him a lot of run support to get him off the zero-win schneid. Tanaka can give up 4 runs in 7 IP, and win 10-4, but it seems German can do it and is unlucky, and will lose 4-2 as he did tonight.

Detroit got one in the second. German reached for a ball and it went off his hand into LF for a double. Lucky he wasn’t hurt. A passed ball, walk, SF and Detroit was up 1-0.

The Yanks tied it in the third on a single by Frazier and triple by Gardner. They had the bases loaded with two out but Torres bounced back to the pitcher. In this inning, Stanton was HBP, and some hard feelings ensued. Stanton was hit in the face by the same pitcher a few years ago.

The Tigers got two in the fourth to go up 3-1. Stanton got his revenge in the sixth with HR #13 to make it 3-2.

But in the seventh, the Tigers got a run for the final of 4-2. Adam Warren relieved German with two out and a runner on second, but gave up a double and a couple of walks before getting out of the inning.

The Yanks were 0 for 10 w/RISP in this game.

German (L, 0-4, 5.44) 6 2/3 IP, 4 R, 7 H, 2 W, 3 K. The kid needs a break where he gets lots of run support.

Warren 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 W, 1 K. 2.79

So the 38-18 Yanks stay 1 game back of idle Boston.

In the first round of the MLB draft, the Yanks selected a switch-hitting and switch-throwing (!) catcher, high-schooler Anthony Siegler.

 

Game 54. Yanks hit 1/3 mark at 20 over after 8-5 win over Orioles.

With 1/3 of the season gone, the Yanks stand at 37-17 after a 8-5 win over the Orioles on Saturday. The start of the game was delayed 1 hr. 40 minutes, and the game was played through some rain.

By winning, the Yanks kept pace with 40-19 Boston.

Masahiro Tanaka was prone to giving up the gopher ball, as he gave up 3 of them, but he still got the win. In the first, Adam Jones took him deep. 1-0 O’s.

The Yanks came back in the second when Miguel Andujar hit a 2-run HR (6) to put the Yanks up 2-1.

Giancarlo Stanton’s 2-run HR in the third (12) put the Yanks up 4-1. Tanaka gave up a HR to Joey Rickard in the bottom of the third, 4-2 Yanks.

Three Orioles’ errors in the sixth led to two Yanks’ runs. Stanton singled and Sanchez forced him, but an error let Sanchez reach second. Didi singled in Sanchez and went to second on another error. 5-2. Hicks singled to make it 6-2 and he went to second on yet another Orioles’ error.

Manny Machado, who has owned the Yanks this year, homered in the bottom of the sixth to make it 6-3 and the Orioles got another run that inning to cut it to 6-4. At least all three homers Tanaka gave up were solo shots.

In the eighth, Didi singled, stole second and scored on a single by Hicks. 7-4. Andujar doubled in Hicks, 8-4.

Robertson gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth before closing out the game. Final 8-5 Yankees.

Gardner 2 hits.
Stanton 2 hits, 2-run HR.
Didi 2 hits, RBI.
Hicks 3 hits, 2 RBI
Andujar 2 hits, 2-run HR, 3 RBI

Tanaka (W, 7-2, 4.79) 5 1/3 IP, 4 R, 8 H, 1 W, 7 K. Gave up 3 HR.
Holder (H, 2) 2/3 iP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.84
Green (H, 8) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2.25
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.96
Robertson 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.39

Minor League Report. Frazier stays hot.

AAA: SWB (23-27) won 4-0. LF Clint Frazier 2 hits, double, solo HR. Hitting .353 at SWB. Maybe Brett Gardner got hot (2 HR last night, inc. game-tying HR in bottom of the ninth) because he was looking over his shoulder? SS Ronald Torreyes 2 hits.  1B Mike Ford solo HR. RF Billy McKinney 2 hits, solo HR. DH Ryan McBroom 2 hits, solo HR. Double for Brandon Drury (.311).

Keep an eye on Josh Rogers. He could get a call even before Justus Sheffield if the Yanks need a starter (esp. with that June 4 DH in Detroit coming up).

Rogers (W, 5-3, 2.48) 7 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 2 W, 3 K.
Carroll 2 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.90

AA: Trenton (32-19) scored two in the bottom of the ninth to beat Reading 5-4. 3B Billy Fleming 2 hits, RBI. LF Zack Zehner 2 hits.

Stephan 5 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 7 K. 5.40
Koerner (BS, 1) 2 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 1 W, 4 K. 6.35
Tarpley (W, 4-0, 1.99) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.

High A: Tampa (26-24) lost a DH.

Regularly scheduled game: Lost 5-1. 1B Brandon Wagner HR. 2B Hoy Jun Park 2 hits.

Nick Green (L, 4-2, 2.60) 6 1/3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Lane 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K, gave up 1 HR.

Makeup of 5/20 rainout: Lost 6-3. LF Ben Ruta 3 for 3, solo HR. DH Alexander Palma 2-run HR.

Frawley (L, 0-3, 4.11) 2 1/3 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 0 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Sosebee 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 0.77
Trieglaff 2 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.06

Low A: Charleston (23-27) lost 3-2. SS Kyle Holder 2 hits. CF Pablo Olivares 2 hits, RBI.

Junk 4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 W, 2 K. 5.68
Higgins (L, 1-1, 3.86) 3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Martin 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.

Game 51. Despite 5 errors, 17 strikeouts, Yanks win (?!) in 10, 6-5.

This is not the way you draw up a win, but we’ll take it.

Despite striking out 17 times and making five errors, the resilient Yankees fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth and to win it in the tenth, 6-5.

The win keeps the 34-17 Yanks two back of Boston in the AL East. So far, the strength of schedule has favored Boston. They’ve had the easier schedule to date. You don’t want to win 100-105 and wind up the wild card and have to play in that sudden-death, wild-card game. Win the division.

In the top of the first, Aaron Judge doubled up Jose Altuve off of first after catching a liner. In the bottom of the first, Brett Gardner led off with his first of two HRs of the night to make it 1-0, Yanks.

CC gave it right back, giving up a HR to Evan Gattis in the top of the second, 1-1.

With two out in the bottom of the second, Miguel Andujar doubled, and Gleyber Torres singled him home to make it 2-1 Yanks. The Yanks proceeded to load the bases but stranded the three runners.

CC gave up two runs in the fourth. 3-2 Astros.

In the fifth, sloppiness. Two errors put runners on second and third with no one out. Both runners eventually scored as Houston went up 5-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Aaron Judge homered (15) to make it 5-3.

So it stood until the bottom of the ninth. Andujar walked, and with one out, Gardner hit his second HR of the game (4) to tie the game.

The Yanks got a break in the top of the tenth. With two out and a man on second, Aroldis Chapman, who already had thrown one wild pitch, fired one back to the backstop. It ricocheted right back to catcher Gary Sanchez, who threw the runner out trying to advance.

In the bottom of the tenth, with two out, Andujar (who made one of the five errors) doubled, and Torres (who made two errors) singled to win the game.

Not the blueprint for a win, but we’ll take it. Stanton and Sanchez are both in slumps right now. Between the two of them, they are something like a combined 1 for 35.

Gardner 4 for 5, 3 RBI, 2 HR. Heating up.
Judge 2 hits, solo HR.
Didi 2 hits.
Andujar 2 doubles.
Torres 2 hits, 2 RBI, inc. GW.

Sabathia 5 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.73
Holder 2 IP,  0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.95. Pitching great lately.
Robertson 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.38
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K. 4.30
Chapman (W, 2-0, 1.21) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.

Game 49. Tanaka tames Angels, 3-1.

You don’t know what Masahiro Tanaka you’ll get. Maybe, with the ballyhooed matchup against Shohei Ohtani (even though Ohtani wasn’t pitching), it gave Tanaka extra incentive.

Whatever, we got the good Tanaka today as the Yanks beat the Angels, 3-1. The win moves the Yanks (33-16) back to within one game of Boston.

The Yanks scored all three runs in the third inning, and didn’t do much hitting to get those runs. Judge singled, and after Stanton (the golden sombrero, 0 for 4 with 4 whiffs) struck out, Judge moved up on a WP. Sanchez then walked. Both runners moved up on another WP. Didi walked. Hicks walked to force in a run. Bird was HBP to force in another. Andujar hit into a force out, a third run scoring.

Tanaka gave up a HR in the sixth.

The Yanks only got five hits, three by Gardner.

Wow. Didi down to .230.

Tanaka (W, 6-2, 4.62) 6 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 W, 8 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Robertson (H, 8) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.56
Betances (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 4.50
Chapman (S, 11) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1.27