Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (60-56) scored five in the top of the ninth to take a 9-8 lead, but coughed up two in the bottom of the ninth to lose 10-9. CF Mark Payton 2 hits. SS Abiatal Avelino 2 RBI. 1B Ryan McBroom 3 hits, HR, 4 RBI. DH Mike Ford 3 hits, RBI. C Francisco Diaz 2 hits.

Adams 3 1/3 IP, 7 R, 8 H, 4 W, 5 K. Gave up 2 HR. 4.97. Poor outing by Adams.
Tarpley 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K.  2.52
Kahnle 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 4 K.  4.01
Coshow (L, 1-3, 4.69) 2 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR.

AA: Trenton (65-52) lost 9-1. 2B Brandon Wagner 2 of Trenton’s 4 hits.

Foley (L, 2-4, 3.57) 3 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Reeves 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 0 K.  2.47
Lail 1 2/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 1 W, 3 K.   5.59
Diehl 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.  1.80
Hodson 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K.  10.80

HIgh A: Tampa (58-61) won 5-2. RF Estevan Florial 2 hits. SS Diego Castillo 2 hits, 2 RBI. LF Dom Thompson-Williams 2 hits, HR, 2 RBI. DH Isiah Gilliam 3 hits.

Abreu 4 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 W, 4 k.  4.30
Whitlock (W, 5-3, 2.42) 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 8 K.

Low A: Charleston (54-61) lost 4-3. They were up 3-2 but gave up runs in the eighth and ninth. CF Carlos Vidal 2 hits. SS Oswaldo Cabrera 2 hits. 3B Welfrin Mateo 3 hits.

Contreras 5 2/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 W, 1 K.  3.22
DeCarr 2 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K.  3.76
Alvarez (BS, 2; L, 0-2, 1.59) 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 3 K.

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Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (59-54) gave up a walkoff HR in the bottom of the ninth and lost 1-0. DH Ronald Torreyes 2 hits.

Swanson 7 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 1 W, 7 K.  4.41
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K.  3.91
Tarpley (L, 1-1, 2.82) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up walkoff HR.

AA: Trenton (64-50) won 2-1. RF Trey Amburgey 2-run HR. LF Rashad Crawford 2 hits. SS Ricky Surum 2 hits.

Bollinger (W, 7-4, 4.18) 7 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 3 K.
Reeves (H, 6) 1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 0 K.  2.37
Wivinis (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  3.00

High A: Tampa (55-61) lost 9-4. LF Dom Thompson-Williams HR, 2 RBI. SS Hoy Jun Park 2 RBI.

Lehnen (L, 0-3, 6.32) 4 1/3 IP, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 H, 3 W, 3 K.
Zurak 2 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 W, 2 K.  6.14
Bristo 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K.  0.00
Morris 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 0 K.  9.26

Low A: Charleston (53-59) won 7-2. C Jason Lopez 3 hits, RBI. RF Carlos Vidal 2 for 2, 3 walks, 2 RBI. SS Wilkerman Garcia 2 hits, RBI. CF Leonardo Molina solo HR.

Yajure (W, 4-2, 3.30) 5 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 W, 2 K.
A. Severino 2 1/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 W, 4 K.  3.86
Alvarez 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.90

Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (58-53) lost 6-5, giving up 4 in the top of the ninth. 2 hits DH Mike Ford. 2B Ronald Torreyes 3 hits, RBI. CF Mark Payton 2 hits, RBI. LF Zack Zehner 2 RBI.

The Yanks recently acquired George Kontos from Cleveland for $.

King 7 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR.  1.29 (First AAA game, just promoted)
Kontos (H, 4) 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.  1.59
Kahnle (H, 4; L, 2-2, 4.09) 1/3 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 1 W, 0 K.
Harvey (BS, 3) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.  1.51

AA: Trenton (63-49) scored two in the top of the 11th to win 4-2. 3B Mandy Alvarez 3 hits, 2 HR, 3 RBI.

Vargas 3 2/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 W, 3 K.  2.25
Reeves 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.  2.23
Wivinis 3 iP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 4 K.  3.60
Sosebee (W, 3-2, 2.92) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K.

High A: Tampa (55-57) lost 5-3. CF Dom Thompson-Williams 2 hits.

Nick Green (L, 6-5, 3.15) 6 IP, 5 R, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 W, 5 K.
Kamplain 3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 5 K. 4.42

Low A: Charleston (52-58) won 4-2. 3B Welfrin Mateo 2 hits. SS Wilkerman Garcia 2 hits.

Sanmartin (W, 2-4, 4.09) 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 W, 4 K.
DeCarr (H, 2) 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 4 K. 3.70
C. Espinal (S, 1) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.70

Game 109. Division title hopes dim after 4-1 loss pushes Yanks 8 1/2 back.

The Yanks have 53 games left,  but it would now take a 1978-type miracle to win the division after a 4-1 loss Saturday pushed the 68-35 Yanks 8 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL East.

Meanwhile, even the top wild-card spot is in peril because the hot Oakland A’s won again.

Chance Adams, making his MLB debut, didn’t do too badly considering the circumstances. He gave up 2 HR but in pitching 5 innings, gave up just 3 runs, keeping the Yanks in the game.

But until the ninth inning, the offense, just like on Friday night, was non-existent, and for the second straight day, the Yanks fell to Boston by a 4-1 score.

Adams gave up a 2-run HR in the first and a solo shot in the fourth. Boston got a run in the seventh off of A.J. Cole when a video review overturned a foul ball into a double.

In the ninth, the Yanks scored their only run when with two out, Stanton and Didi both doubled. They actually got the go-ahead run to the plate, when Hicks and Torres both walked. Bases loaded. Bird flied to center, though, to end the game.

Stanton had 2 of the Yanks’ 5 hits. Going into the ninth, they had just 3 hits, and no runs.

Adams (L, 0-1, 5.40) 5 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 W, 2 K. Gave up 2 HR. MLB DEBUT.
Green 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  2.77
Cole 2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 4 K.  5.09  (Wash/NYY combined)

Tommy Kahnle, up for a day, was sent back so that Adams could come up and make the start.

After the game against Boston Sunday night, the Yanks’ schedule is relatively weak until Labor Day. They need to right the ship, and shave four or five games off of that lead between now and Labor Day.

The four game losing streak is the longest the Yanks have had all season.

As for the offseason, I don’t know if, after getting under the cap, Hal Steinbrenner will now go over it again, but there are a couple of moves I would do. These moves may not be popular among Yankees fans, because they would mean some options of aging Yankees players would not be picked up, in order to target two players via free agency.

 

Game 108. Yanks get just 1 hit in 4-1 loss. Fall 7 1/2 back.

Miguel Andujar homered (14), but that was the only hit in the Yanks’ 4-1 loss to Boston on Friday night.

The loss drops the Yanks to 68-40, and at the 2/3rd mark, they are on course to go 102-60, a heck of a record.

The problem is, Boston is 7 1/2 games ahead of the Yanks right now, and on pace to go 112-50, a historic year.

The loss, the Yanks’ third in a row, means that for the second time this year, the Yanks have suffered a three-game losing streak. Boston has suffered it once. (Maybe Boston can suffer another one in say, October…).

Rick Porcello was masterful for Boston, a complete game one-hitter and he threw just 86 pitches, 68 for strikes. You got to tip your cap to that. About as good as it gets. He retired the last 21 Yanks in a row.

Luis Severino, who has struggled lately, gave up three runs in the first before settling down. The last few innings he looked once again like the dominant Severino of earlier this season. But that three-run first doomed the Yanks.

And who hit a 2-run HR in that three-run first for Boston? Steve Pearce, who had 3 HR against the Yanks the night before (see my report on Game 107 for a story regarding Pearce when the Yanks briefly had him).

So the Yanks find the division slipping away. They have to right the ship or else home-field advantage in that sudden-death wild card game could be gone too.

Today doesn’t look encouraging. With Happ on the DL due to foot-hand-and mouth disease, and with Cessa having to be used in relief Thursday night, the Yanks turn to Chance Adams to start today. The youngster will be making his MLB debut. Talk about being thrown into the fire.

The Yanks started the year 9-9, then went a scorching 41-13. But since that hot streak, they are just 18-18. They need to be more consistent, and not a .500 team.

They need a hot streak.

Of course, it’d help if Boston ever starts losing.

One thing more…. the Yanks’ pitchers have to do a better job holding runners on base. Boston has been running wild on them, and there is nothing Romine can do when runners are getting three or four step jumps. He could have a cannon and not be able to gun them down.

A test for Boone and the Yanks. How do they respond?

Severino (L, 14-5, 3.08) 5 2/3 IP, 4 R, 7 H, 3 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. CYA slipping away.
Robertson 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.   3.51
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 6.30.  Just recalled from SWB.

P.S. In case you didn’t notice, Oakland is hot and has passed Seattle for that other wild-card spot.

Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (56-51) lost 6-2, getting just five hits.

Swanson (L, 1-3, 5.83) 4 1/3 IP, 6 R, 8 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR
Feyereisen 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K.  1.96
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  2.38

AA: Trenton (61-47) beat Reading 6-1. C Jorge Saez 2 hits, HR, 2 RBI. LF Rashad Crawford 2 RBI

Bollinger (W, 6-4, 4.58) 6 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 5 K.
Lane (H, 1) 2 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 W, 0 K.  9.00
Wivinis 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  9.00

Bollinger was brought up to the Yanks for one day but didn’t get in the game and was returned to the minors once Lance Lynn arrived.

High A: Tampa (55-53) beat Clearwater 5-2. PH/C Kellin Deglan HR, 2 RBI. LF Isiah Gilliam 2 RBI.

Rosa (W, 12-3, 3.84) 5 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 W, 5 K.
Kamplain (S, 1) 4 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K.  4.68

Low A: Charleston (50-56) lost 2-1. SS Ricky Surum 2 hits, RBI. LF Mitchell Hansen 2 hits.

Yajure 5 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 W, 5 K.  3.48
C. Espinal (L, 0-1, 3.00) 3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (54-47) won 9-3. SS Abiatal Avelino 3 hits, HR, 5 RBI. RF Tyler Austin 2 hits, solo HR. 1B Mike Ford 3 hits, 2 RBI. C Francisco Diaz 2 hits.

Swanson 4 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 7 K. Gave up 1 HR.  4.30
Coshow 2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 2 W, 3 K.  4.71
Espinal (BS, 2; W, 5-1, 2.13) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K   2.66

SWB is 7 1/2 GB in their division and 1/2 game out of a wild card spot.

AA: Trenton (57-47) lost 5-1. 2 hits, C Jorge Saez.

Stephan 5 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 7 K.  4.61
Koerner (H, 2) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.33
Diehl (BS, 1; L, 0-1) 2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.57
Wivinis 1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.   18.00   1st game at AA, up from High A. Started season at Low A.

Trenton is 2 GB in their division, and would be the top wild card seed.

High A: Tampa (52-52) lost 12-11. SS Ronald Torreyes 2 hits. 1B Steven Sensley HR, 2 RBI. 3B Angel Aguilar 2 RBI. DH Ben Ruta 2 hits, 2 RBI. C Kellin Deglan 3 RBI.

Lehnen 4 1/3 IP, 7 R, 6 H, 6 W, 0 K.  5.25
Kamplain 1 2/3 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 2 W, 0 K.  5.09
Zurak (BS, 1; L, 0-1, 4.50) 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR. Just up from Low A.
Schwaab 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  4.79

Tampa is 17-17, 4 GB in the second half. They were 35-35, 4 back in the first half.

Low A: Charleston (50-51) lost 4-2. 2 hits, RBI, C Jason Lopez.

Junk (L, 4-3, 4.18) 5 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 2 W, 3 K
DeCarr 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.66
Alvarez 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 6 K.  0.00 

Charleston is 17-16, 1 1/2 GB in the second half. They were 33-35, 6 1/2 out in the first half.

Since I have had some requests and inquiries about a hitter who had a high batting average this year at Trenton:

Devyn Bolasky, 25, Bats and throws lefty. Just promoted to SWB from Trenton. Yes, he was hitting .365 at AA, but in just 38 games, and he has no power. .365-0-11. He isn’t speedy, either, since he has 0 SB. In 272 minor league games, he has a .272 batting average, but has hit just 3 HR and has stolen just 25 bases. Last year, with 4 different minor league teams, from Low A to AAA, he hit just .235-2-26 with just 2 SB. So I am not sold on him yet. Because he was hitting in the .380s a few weeks ago, some people were asking me about him.

In the majors: The Yanks won’t have to worry about Mike Moustakas this weekend anymore. KC traded him to Milwaukee. Meanwhile the Mets traded Asdrubal Cabrera to the Phillies.  Astros get Ryan Pressley from the Twins to help their bullpen.