ALCS Game 2. Yanks clipped by Astros in 9th 2-1. In 0-2 Hole.

Carlos Correa drove in Jose Altuve in the bottom of the ninth to win Game 2 of the ALCS, 2-1 for Houston over the Yankees.

Houston now leads the series two games to none.

Correa and Altuve each had two hits, accounting for four of Houston’s five.

Correa’s HR in the fourth gave the Astros a 1-0 lead. It was ruled no fan interference on the play as a youngster almost pulled a “Jeffrey Maier.”

The Yanks tied it in the fifth on back-to-back two-out doubles by Aaron Hicks and Todd Frazier. Frazier’s ground-rule double was odd in that it stuck in the fence.

In the ninth, Altuve singled and Correa doubled him home. The throw beat Altuve, but catcher Gary Sanchez could not catch it cleanly and Altuve scored.

The Yanks only had five hits in the game, as Justin Verlander got a CG win with 13 K.

Severino 4 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Kahnle 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K,
Robertson 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Chapman (Loss) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Joe Espada is having a bad couple of games as the Yankees’ third base coach. Bird thrown out at the plate in Game 1, and in Game 2, Brett Gardner was thrown out at third trying for a triple.

One thing about Aaron Judge batting second: He does draw lots of walks, so his OBP is good (although right now he is slumping badly with many strikeouts), but with Judge up, Gardner doesn’t run because he doesn’t want to get thrown out at second with Judge up. A double-edged sword. You got the homers and walks with Judge #2, but at the expense of a Gardner SB?

Game 3 is in the Bronx on Monday night.

In the NLCS, the Dodgers took Game 1 from the Cubs, 5-2.

In the Arizona Fall League,  Scottsdale lost 11-1. Yankee SS prospect Kyle Holder was 1 for 4. DH Thairo Estrada was 2 for 4 with the RBI. Cody Carroll pitched a scoreless inning, walking one batter.

 

 

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ALDS Game 4. Yanks survive, force Game 5, 7-3.

Redemption.

Luis Severino got redemption for his wild card clunker by pitching seven strong innings as the Yankees evened up the series, two games apiece, with a 7-3 win over Cleveland Monday night.

The series will have a do-or-die, deciding Game 5 on Wednesday night. In a bit of a surprise, it will be CC going for the Yanks, and NOT Sonny Gray. Do-or-die game, all hands on deck.

The winner will face Houston in the ALCS. Houston eliminated Boston in Game 4 Monday.

The Yanks got four in the fourth. Castro reached on an error and moved up on a PB, then Todd Frazier’s double off the foul line deep in left made it 1-0. Hicks singled to make it 2-0 and Gardner singled. Gardner stole second. Judge, with his only hit of the series so far, doubled in two. (Should Judge, with only one hit and many strikeouts, be moved out of the #2 slot?)

A walk, double and walk loaded the bases in the third with one out. After a force at home, Gardner reached on an error that made it 5-0.

Severino faltered, giving up a two-run HR in the fourth, and a solo HR in the fifth. The Indians had cut the lead to 5-3.

The Yankees got one right back in the bottom of the fifth. Todd Frazier reached second on on error (Cleveland made 4 on the night) and moved to third on a Hicks’ groundout. Gardner hit a SF to bring him in. It was a risky send, since the flyball wasn’t deep, but they challenged Kipnis, a converted infielder, and the risk paid off.

Sanchez homered in the sixth to make it 7-3.

Betances came in in the eighth and was horrible, walking both batters and he wasn’t close to the strike zone.

Kahnle came in and was brilliant, blowing Cleveland away.

So Robertson and Chapman were saved for Game 5. Don’t forget about Warren and Green, either.

Severino (Winner) 7 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 W, 9 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Betances 0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 0 K.
Kahnle (Save) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 5 K.

Gardner 2 hits, RBI.
Judge 2 RBI. Struck out 4x.

Headley 0 for 4, 3 K. The Yanks have gotten nothing from him or Ellsbury at DH this series. You wonder who DHs Game 5 vs. Kluber. Even though Holliday is a righty batter, do you go back to him? What about Judge’s struggles? Do you drop Judge?

There will be interesting decisions made. Both before and during the game, especially with bullpen pecking order.

Besides Houston eliminating Boston, the Dodgers swept Arizona, so they are in the NLCS. In the other NLCS game, the Cubs, despite being no-hit for 6 1/3 innings, won 2-1 over Washington to take a two games to one lead in that series.

ALDS Game 2. Yanks in 0-2 hole after blowing 8-3 lead. Lose 9-8 in 13.

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Sorry for the late report. I slept in and am not feeling well. Bronchitis again? Same time, just about, every year. Sigh.

1997. Mariano gives up the first of only two postseason HRs he would ever give up. It ties Game 4 for Cleveland and instead of the Yanks winning the series 3 games to 1, the Indians come back to win Game 4 and then Game 5.

2007: The midges. Torre doesn’t pull the team off the field, regrets it later, and his Yankee tenure is over. Joba vs. the bugs.

2017: The Faux HBP that Girardi didn’t challenge. Now Girardi’s contract is up, and I don’t expect him to be fired, but he made a mistake that seems to be as big as Torre’s in 2007.

(ok as for the bad omens…. the Yanks did win it all in 1938, 1958, 1978 and 1998, so we should look forward to 2018, right?)

Anyway, the game started off great when the Yanks knocked around Cleveland ace Corey Kluber. Gary Sanchez hit a 2-run HR in the first inning.

An error by Todd Frazier led to the Indians scoring two unearned runs in the first to tie it up (came back to bite them), then the Indians scored one in the second to go up 3-2. At this point, you are wondering about the Yankees’ starting pitching this postseason. The Indians did lose Edwin Encarnacion due to an ankle injury.

The Yanks went up 6-3 with four in the third. Starlin Castro tied the game and Aaron Hicks hit a 3-run HR.

In the fifth, a two-run HR by Greg Bird made it 8-3. Then the Yanks blew it. For one thing, the game went 13 and they couldn’t score anymore.

CC was pulled in the sixth after 77 pitches. Ok, maybe he should or could have stayed in with an 8-3 lead. But this is how they’ve treated CC for a while now. One out, man on first and in comes Chad Green. Normally a good move and the right one.

But was Green still taxed from the two innings he pitched on Tuesday? Here is where the early knockout of Severino in Tuesday’s wild card game may have come back to bite the Yanks, for Green wasn’t his usual self. He got a flyout for out #2 but couldn’t put Yan Gomes away. After fouling off a few pitches, Gomes doubled.

Then PH Chisenhall was HBP. Or was he?

Chisenall had two strikes on him. Replays showed the ball hit the knob of the bat and ricocheted into Sanchez’ glove. Foul tip, strike three and out of the inning. Instead, the umpire ruled HBP. Bases loaded.

Sanchez pointed to the dugout to challenge. And Girardi did nothing. For the brilliance of Tuesday night, when Girardi pieced together 26 outs out of the bullpen, he bleeped up here.

He stated that the slo-mo replay didn’t come up in the 30 seconds he had to challenge. He also stated that he didn’t want to disturb his pitcher’s rhythm.

What BS. That sounds like the excuses your seven year old kid makes to mommy and daddy when the did gets into trouble.

First off, why aren’t you trusting your catcher when your catcher is urging you to challenge? He’s right there. He caught the ball. To quote Billy Joel, It’s a Matter of Trust. And that matter of trust came up later in the game as well. Players in the dugout were urging the same thing.

Secondly, what do you have to lose by challenging? You win, strike three, out of inning. No, Joe decided to leave it go.

Third, the batter never reacted as if he were hit! He had to be told to go the first.

And you don’t challenge?

As far as his pitcher’s rhythm? Green gave up a grand slam off the foul pole on his second pitch after the incident. 8–7.

We’ll never know what would have happened had he challenged as he should have, got the call and it remains 8-3. There is a huge difference between going home 1-1 in a best-of-five and in going home 0-2. Especially to a team that has won 35 of its last 39 games.

So in came David Robertson, and you had to wonder how much he had left in the tank after his 3 1/3 innings of Tuesday night. Four up, four down, three by strikeouts. Looks good.

But then Girardi tried to extend him. Why? A matter of trust. He trusted Robertson in the eighth over Betances. Betances did pitch in Game 1 (when the Yanks were down 4-0). He also pitched and lost this game. But Betances didn’t come in until other relievers had gone before him.

He tried to extend Robertson, who was already extended on Tuesday night. It didn’t work. Jay Bruce (thanks, Mets) did it again. HR to tie the game.

And so the game went into extras. Kahnle and Chapman came in, then Betances.

Meanwhile in the 11th, Ronald Torreyes pulled a rock. Pinch-running for Todd Frazier, who reached second on an error leading off the inning, Torreyes was picked off second when Brett Gardner had to take a pitch on a sac bunt attempt. Ouch.

Betances came in for the 11th. After Green, Robertson, Kahnle and Chapman. A matter of trust. In because he had to, not so much because Girardi trusted him. After all, if he was trusted, wouldn’t he have come in in the eighth, like usual? It appears that at this point, Girardi doesn’t trust Betances.

Betances had two good innings, but needed to be overextended himself. Working his third inning, he walked the leadoff guy, who stole second. It’s well known that Betances isn’t a good fielder and with his size and delivery, doesn’t hold runners on well. Cleveland took advantage with the SB. Gomes, who extended the AB in the sixth, and who picked off Torreyes in the 11th, got the GW hit.

This is one loss that (unless the Yanks pull off a miracle and win 3 in a row to stun the baseball world and make it to the ALCS) will hurt all winter long.

Sabathia 5 1/3 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 W, 5 K.
Green 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP. Gave up grand slam.
Robertson 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up HR.
Kahnle 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Chapman 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K.
Betances (Loss) 2+ IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K.

Sanchez 2 hits, 2-run HR.
Castro 2 hits, RBI.
Bird 2 hits, 2-run HR.
Hicks 2 hits, 3-run HR.
Todd Frazier 3 hits, but 2 errors.
Torreyes bone-headed PR play.

In the other series, Houston dominated Boston again and the Astros go into Fenway up 2 games to nothing.

In the NL, the Cubs and Dodgers both took Game 1 over the Nationals and Diamondbacks, respectively.

 

Wild Card Game. Yanks advance behind bullpen, 3 HRs, 8-4.

Luis Severino was awful. No one expected this, for Severino to get knocked out in the very first inning, having given up a HR, popup, walk, HR, single and double. Already it was 3-0 Twins, with men on second and third, and only one out.

Joe Girardi did what he had to do. He pulled Severino and brought in Chad Green. Green got two strikeouts to hold the Twins at three, and the Yankees’ bullpen saved the day and season from there on out.

Once in a while, I’ll criticize Girardi for some managing things but not today. He was brilliant last night in piecing together a game out of the bullpen after Severino blew up.

A hit off Green there and it would have been 5-0 Twins. Instead, great job by Green getting out of it.

The Yanks got the three runs right back when Gardner walked, Judge singled, and with one out, Didi hit a three-run HR.

They took a 4-3 lead in the second when Gardner homered.

Green had a great second inning, but faltered in the third. David Robertson had to come in in the THIRD inning with the bases loaded and one out. He got a force out that tied the game and a strikeout. All tied, new game again.

The Yanks went up 5-4 in the bottom of the third on a double by Sanchez and single by Greg Bird.

Meanwhile, Robertson kept pitching. He was a hero tonight. Normally a one-inning setup guy or closer, he went 3 1/3 scoreless innings tonight, saving the Yankees.

In the fourth, Aaron Judge hit a 2-run HR to put the Yanks up 7-4.

After this explosive beginning, 7-4 after four innings, things calmed down. Aaron Hicks drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh for the final score of 8-4.

Gardner 2 hits, walk, HR, scored 3 runs, RBI.
Judge 2 hits, walk, HR, scored 3 runs, 2 RBI.
Sanchez 2 hits.
Didi HR, 3 RBI.

The top four guys in the lineup had 7 of the Yankees’ 9 hits, 6 of the 8 RBI, and scored all 8 of the runs.

Severino 1/3 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 2 HR. Just awful.
Green 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 4 K. Saved Yanks by getting out of first with 2 K.
Robertson (BS; WINNER) 3 1/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 W, 5 K. Hero.
Kahnle (HOLD) 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W 1 K.
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.

The Yanks’ bullpen pitched 8 2/3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 3 W, and 13 K. Awesome. Did they ever step up when needed.

The ALDS vs. Cleveland starts Thursday in Cleveland. Hopefully no midges.

 

and, from TMZSports.com:

 

Former New York Yankee Pat Kelly says he and his girlfriend getting booked for assault was just a “misunderstanding” … and “everything’s good” now that he’s outta the slammer.

TMZ Sports broke the story … Kelly and his GF, Marina Cernova, were arrested at the London Hotel in NYC on Sunday after Marina called cops to report Pat had beaten her.

Both Pat and Marina were jailed for misdemeanor assault … ’cause police say Marina also punched Pat in the face.

But when we got Kelly outside Manhattan Criminal Court … he told us he was A-OK — though he did seem kinda annoyed that our guy wouldn’t give up his sources.

Pat’s attorney tells us Pat “denies all wrongdoing and will answer the charges in court.”

 

Game 161. Yanks win, but Boston’s win relegates Yanks to WC.

The Yanks (91-70) won 2-1 today, thanks to a bomb by Aaron Judge (HR # 52), but Boston beat Houston, so the Red Sox win the division and the Yanks are relegated to the top wild card seed.

CC Sabathia got the win, #237 of his career, and that passed Whitey Ford on the all-time wins list. It ties CC with one-time Yankees Waite Hoyt and Clark Griffith. Griffith, of course, is remembered best not for playing or managing the Yankees, but for being the owner of the Washington Senators for many years (Griffith Stadium).

In the fourth, Judge hit his bomb, a drive that cleared the LF bleachers and was estimated at 484 feet. Another Judge drive this year, maybe more towards CF, didn’t clear the bleachers and was measured at 495. Anyway, another bomb and #52 for the season.

With the HR, Judge and Sanchez set a record for most HR hit by a pair of teammates 25 or younger at 85 (Judge 52, Sanchez 33).

After the HR, with one out, Didi singled, went to second on a WP and scored on a single by Castro.

Toronto got a run in the eighth on a SF, but nothing more.

Judge HR (52)
Todd Frazier 2 hits.
CC ties Severino for team lead in wins this year.

Ellsbury or Hicks Tues. night? Interesting question. Hicks has the better OF arm, and since coming off the DL this week, robbed a guy of a grand slam and has hit 2 HR. He has 15 HR this year despite missing two months, while Ellsbury has 7 HR. I’d say Hicks.

With a righty on the mound, Frazier 3B, Bird 1B, Headley DH. I think Ellsbury and Holliday are on the bench. We’ll see. Ellsbury can, of course, PR, and Holliday can PH against a lefty pitcher if needed.

Sabathia (W, 14-5, 3.69) 5 2/3 IP, 0 R,  4 H, 0 W, 6 K.
Green (H, 9) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.83
Kahnle 0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2.59
Robertson (H, 8) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1.84
Chapman (S, 22) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.22

Game 157. Yanks clinch home wild card game with a 6-1 win.

The Yanks beat the Rays tonight, 6-1, and in so doing ensured that the wild card play-in game will be played in Yankee Stadium.

They did pick up a game on Boston, and are still alive for the division crown, but are 3 back with five games to go. The Yanks won the season series against the Red Sox, so a tie goes to the Yankees.

With their 88th win, the Yanks have won more games than any Yankees team since 2012. You have to go back to 2012, when the Yanks last won the AL East, to find a team with more wins.

That 2012 team won the ALDS over Baltimore, thanks to Raul Ibanez’ heroics, but were swept in the ALCS by the Tigers. That ALCS is best remembered for Derek Jeter breaking his ankle in Game 1.

As for tonight, Jordan Montgomery pitched six strong innings to get the win, 6-1 over the Rays. He got help in the first inning from Aaron Hicks, who just came off of the DL. Hicks robbed Wilson Ramos of a grand slam HR. Instead it was a SF, and after that, Montgomery settled in.

Hicks drew 3 walks tonight and stole a base.

In the second, the Yanks struck for four runs. Starlin Castro hit his 15th HR leading off the inning. Singles by Todd and Clint Frazier, and then another by Ronald Torreyes, loaded the bases. Back to Back walks to Hicks and Judge forced in two runs. After a DP, Judge stole second, and a WP brought Hicks home.

In the eighth, with one out, Torreyes walked (a rarity). A WP moved him to second and after another out, Judge walked. Sanchez singled in one run, Holliday another. 6-1.

Hicks 3 walks and robbed a guy of a grand slam (wound up a SF)
Castro 3 for 3, HR.
Torreyes 2 hits.

Montgomery (W, 9-7, 3.96) 6 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 W, 5 K.
Kahnle (H, 15) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.44
Robertson (H, 7) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1.90
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.91

Ok, a question for you. Who would you want as the #4 starter in the postseason rotation after Severino, Gray and CC?

Tanaka? or Montgomery?

I say Montgomery. But I don’t think the Yanks will have the guts to do the right thing, and go with the rookie who has pitched better than Tanaka all season long.

I think they’ll go with the experience and with Tanaka.

But I hope I am wrong, and that do indeed they go with the guy whose ERA is one full run lower, and that’s Montgomery.

 

 

Game 156. Yanks win 11-3. Judge sets new rookie record for HR with 50.

Ok, there will be a lot of history in this post. A lot of it.

The Yanks (87-69) won 11-3 in a makeup game against the Royals Monday afternoon (game rained out in May) to reduce their magic # for hosting the wild card game to 1.

First off, Aaron Judge hit 2 HR, giving him 50 for the season, and it sets the all-time record for HR in a season by a rookie.

He is the fifth Yankee to hit 50 in a season, following Babe Ruth (who did it 4x), Mickey Mantle (2x), Roger Maris, and A-Rod.

In addition, CC Sabathia got the win, and #236 of his career ties Whitey Ford on the all-time list.

In the first, Gardner singled, and after Judge flied out, Sanchez doubled. Didi got the run home with an RBI groundout.

Gardner walked and Judge hit his first HR of the game, #49, to tie McGwire’s 1987 mark for a rookie and make it 3-0.

In the sixth, Didi singled and Holliday doubled him home. Bird hit a 2-run HR (7) to make it 6-0. Do not discount how hot Bird is getting and how important he can be.

The Royals hit back-to-back HR off of CC in the seventh to cut it to 6–3.

The Yanks came right back on back-to-back HR by Judge (the record-setting 50th HR by a rookie) and Sanchez (#33).

In the eighth, Torreyes doubled and went to third on an error. Gardner doubled in a run to make it 9-3. Judge walked, and was replaced by PR Clint Frazier. Sanchez singled to load the bases. Didi singled to make it 10-3 and Holliday hit a SF.

Gardner 2 hits, RBI.
Judge 2 HR, setting a rookie HR record of 50. 3 RBI.
Sanchez 3 hits, RBI, HR #33. (27 as catcher, 5 DH, 1 1B)
Gregorius 3 hits, 2 RBI.
Holliday 2 Rbi.
Bird, HR, 2 RBI.
Torreyes 3 hits.

Sabathia (W, 13-5, 3.84) 6+ Ip, 3 r, 6 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up back-to-back HR in the 7th.
Green (H, 8) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1.87
Robertson 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1.93. Struck out the side.
Kahnle 1 Ip, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.48

Just an aside. I am SO SICK and DISGUSTED of the NFL (and others) right now.