S.T. Game 28. Afternoon (home) game of split squad. Volpe homers, Cole sharp, Abreu not. Yanks lose, 6-4.

The Yanks had split squad games, one at home in the afternoon and one on the road at night.

This is the afternoon game. Anthony Volpe (more on him in a bit) homered, and Gerrit Cole was in midseason form, but Albert Abreu blew a Yankees lead late and the Yanks (10-16-2 in spring training) lost to the Twins, 6-4.

Meanwhile it was reported that Carlos Rodon should be ready in early May. He will miss the first month of the season.

The race for the SS job may come down to the last day, but as far as I’m concerned, I’d go with Volpe. A few tidbits, most if not all by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

Volpe, if he is the opening day starter, would be the youngest opening day starter since Derek Jeter in 1996.

He would be making his MLB debut. Since 1951, the only Yankees to make their MLB debut on opening day have been Mickey Mantle in 1951, Jerry Lumpe in 1956 and Hideki Matsui in 2003.

The last Yankee players who had rookie qualification to be in the Opening Day lineup were Aaron Judge in 2017 and Brett Gardner in 2009.

Aaron Judge was in LF and threw out a runner at second today. I don’t think CF or LF would be a problem for him.

Volpe 1 for 4, HR, 2 RBI #1 prospect. Will be interesting to see if he is opening day SS. I think he should be.
Willie Calhoun 1 for 4. Will be interesting to see if he makes the team.
Jose Trevino 2 for 3.
Estevan Florial 1 for 2, 2 RBI.

Those are all five of the Yankees’ hits. They were 1 for 10 w/RISP.

Cole 5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Cordero (H) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. Will he make the bullpen?
Abreu (BS, L) 1 1/3 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 2 HR.
M. Gomez 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Herbert, who gave up LONG HR to Mantle in 1964 game, passes away, at age 93.

Ray Herbert, who won 20 games for the White Sox and was an All-Star in 1962, passed away at the age of 93.

Herbert pitched for the Tigers (1950-1951, 1953-1954, missed 1952 due to military service during Korean Conflict), Kansas City A’s (1955, 1958-1961), White Sox (1961-1964) and Phillies (1965-1966).

In that 1962 season, he was 20-9, 3.27, ERA+ 120 and finished 29th in MVP voting.

Herbert led the AL in shutouts in 1963 with 7.

For his career, Herbert was 104-107, 4.01, ERA+ 96. His 162-game average was 11-11, 4.01.

On August 12, 1964, Herbert started against Mel Stottlemyre at Yankee Stadium. It was Stottlemyre’s first MLB game, and the Yankees and Stottlemyre beat Herbert and the White Sox, 7-3.

In his first MLB at bat, Stottlemyre singled off of Herbert.

In the bottom of the fourth, with the Yankees trailing 2-1, Mickey Mantle led off the inning with a long fly to CF. Mantle, knowing the dimensions of the Stadium, threw down his bat in disgust, only to watch the ball go over the 461′ sign and 23′ high screen for what was said to be a 502′ home run. Granted there was a strong wind blowing out that day, but still…

As Stottlemyre said when he saw Mantle throw down his bat in disgust, “If that ain’t far enough for him, what is?” Of course, Mickey didn’t think it would carry that far. (See below photo). Mantle hit another HR that day, not off of Herbert but off Frank Baumann. Besides Mantle’s 2 HR that day, Clete Boyer hit one off Herbert, and Roger Maris hit one off of Don Mossi. Stottlemyre pitched a complete game victory.

Game 147. What a night! 60! Fabulous Comeback! Triple Crown?

With all apologies to the Dells, Oh, What a Night!

Before the game, the Yankees placed Frankie Montas on the 15-day IL, retroactive to 9/17. Since he’d come off it right at the end of the season, I think it is safe to say that he would NOT start a postseason game.

Harrison Bader came off the IL and made his Yankees debut with 3 RBI. We will get to the game recap soon.

Ryan Weber chose free agency after being DFA’d. We’ll see what happens there.

Now to the game. Aaron Judge hit his 60th HR, tying the # Babe Ruth hit in 1927 (and in 147 games too!). He is now one behind Roger Maris’ Yankees and AL record of 61 (we know about the MLB and NL Steroid-aided records*).

Judge’s HR also put him at .316, and he now leads the AL in batting average as well as HR and RBI (and a whole lot of other categories). As of now, he’d win the Triple Crown, a feat done only once since 1967. Two Yankees have won the Triple Crown—Lou Gehrig in 1934 and Mickey Mantle in 1956.

Not only that, the Yankees, down 8-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, scored five runs to win the game 9-8 over Pittsburgh, capped off by an “ultimate slam” — a walk off grand slam with your team down by 3—by Giancarlo Stanton.

Nestor Cortes was “Nasty Nestor” again, but the Yankees’ bullpen was horrendous. Judge and Stanton’s HR, as well as Bader’s great Yankees debut, saved them.

With the win, the Yankees (89-58) kept their 5 1/2 game lead over Toronto. The magic # for clinching the division is 10. The magic # for a playoff berth is now 2 (since the Yankees own the tiebreaker over Baltimore).

The Pirates scored first, on a SF in the top of the fourth inning. Oswaldo Cabrera, making his first start in LF, caught the ball at the top of the wall. It just missed being a grand slam.

In the bottom of the fifth, Cabrera reached on a 3-base error, and was driven in on a single by Bader. Bader moved up on a groundout and scored on a single by Jose Trevino. 2-1 Yanks.

Ron Marinaccio put a couple runners on in the top of the sixth, and both scored when Lou Trivino replaced Marinaccio only to give up a 2-run double. 3-2, Pirates.

The Yanks came back in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-3 lead. Josh Donaldson led off the inning with a single. After Stanton struck out, Cabrera walked. A wild pitch moved the runners up, then Bader singled them both in. Nice Yankees’ debut for Bader, who the Yankees traded Jordan Montgomery for, but who the Yanks had to wait on, due to Bader being on the IL with plantar fasciitis.

Trivino gave up a HR to Brian Reynolds in the top of the seventh that tied the game.

In the top of the eighth, the bullpen imploded further. With one out, a walk, error by Anthony Rizzo, and single off of Jonathan Loaisiga made it 5-4. Clay Holmes, who has been awful since July 9, came in and gave up a 3-run HR to made it 8-4. I don’t know what is wrong with Holmes, but the Yankees need to straighten him out. At this time, it seemed like the only reason to keep watching or listening was to see what Judge would do in his last at bat.

And in the bottom of the ninth, Judge didn’t disappoint, hitting #60 to make it 8-5 Yankees. The historic homer seemed to spark the team, who didn’t want the homer to go to waste in a loss. Rizzo followed with a double. Gleyber Torres walked. Donaldson singled to load the bases. Then Stanton, struggling mightily since June 1, hit HR #27, a walk off grand slam to win the game.

It was the fourth time in Yankees’ history that the Yankees were down by three runs and a batter hit a walk off grand slam (ultimate slam) to win the game. Babe Ruth did it in 1925, then a long wait for the second one, Jason Giambi in 2002. Donaldson did it last month, and now Stanton last night.

Judge Solo HR (60) .316-60-128 leads AL in all three categories. Can he win the Triple Crown?
Torres 2 hits
Donaldson 2 hits
Stanton 4 RBI walk off grand slam (27)
Bader 2 hits, 3 RBI
Trevino 2 hits, RBI

Cortes 5 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 W, 4 K. 2.67
Marinaccio (H, 6) 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2.31
Trivino (BS, 3) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.84 (A’s/NYY)
Loaisiga 1 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. 4.64
Holmes 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.67
Chapman (W, 3-3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.41

Game 146. Judge at 59 HR after Yanks win slugfest, 12-8. Triple Crown within reach.

Aaron Judge is at 59.

No right-handed batter in American League history has hit more in a season. Judge trails only lefty swinging hitters Babe Ruth (60 in 1927) and Roger Maris (61 in 1961) for most HR in a season by an American League player.

We know all about the 154 vs. 162 game season controversy, as well as the steroid-aided MLB and NL records.

Not only is Judge at 59 HR, but with a 4-hit performance yesterday that included 2 HR, he is now hitting .316, which is only one point short of the AL leader, meaning a Triple Crown is within reach. Only one man, Miguel Cabrera in 2012, has won the Triple Crown since 1967. Two Yankees have won it, Lou Gehrig in 1934 and Mickey Mantle in 1956.

With their 12-8 slugfest win Sunday, the Yankees (88-58) have a 5 1/2 game lead with 16 games to go. Their magic # for clinching the division is 11. Their magic # for a playoff spot is 5 (since they own the tiebreaker over Baltimore).

Gerrit Cole stuck out 8 batters to give him 236 for the season, 12 behind Ron Guidry’s Yankees record of 248 set in 1978, but Cole, despite getting the win, was victimized once again by the gopher ball.

Kolten Wong hit a 3-run HR off of Cole in the bottom of the first. Brewers 3-0.

Oswaldo Cabrera got a run back for the Yankees in the top of the second with his second HR of the season. 3-1.

In the bottom of the second, Tyrone Taylor homered off Cole and it was 4-1, Brewers. Things didn’t look good.

Judge and Anthony Rizzo hit back-to-back HRs in the top of the third to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 4-3. For Judge, #58. It was #31 for Rizzo, who just returned off of the IL. (Estevan Florial was sent down).

The Yanks got 4 runs in the top of the fifth to take a 7-4 lead. Judge led off with a walk. Rizzo singled Judge to second. A flyout by Gleyber Torres moved both runners up. Josh Donaldson walked to load the bases. An error on a fielder’s choice by Giancarlo Stanton tied the game. Bases still loaded. An infield single by Cabrera put the Yanks up 5-4. After a lineout with no advance, Kyle Higashioka singled in two runs to make it 7-4.

In the top of the seventh, the Yanks scored three times to increase their lead to 10-4. Cabrera doubled to lead off the inning, and two groundouts moved him around. 8-4. Aaron Hicks then hit his seventh HR. 9-4. Judge made it back-to-back HR by creaming #59, a 443-ft. blast. 10-4.

The extra runs proved necessary. Rowdy Tellez hit a 2-run HR for the Brewers in the bottom of the eighth to cut the Yanks’ lead to 10-6. They then stranded two.

Judge got a 2-run double in the top of the ninth to make it 12-6. Michael Kay mentioned something in the lines of that Judge was the only guy in baseball that can hit a 2-run double and you are disappointed.

Those two runs were necessary, too. Each of Milwaukee’s first three hitters in the bottom of the ninth singled off of Wandy Peralta. Clay Holmes then relieved Peralta and gave up a ground rule double that made the score 12-8. Holmes then got an out before a walk reloaded the bases, bring the tying run to the plate. A strikeout and groundout ended the game.

Judge 4 hits, 4 RBI. 2 solo HR (59) .316-59-127. One point short of batting average lead.
Rizzo 3 hits, RBI. Solo HR (31). First game off the IL.
Cabrera 3 hits, 2 RBI. Solo HR (2)
Higashioka 3 RBI.
Hicks 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (7).

Cole (W, 12-7) 5 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 3 W, 8 K. Gave up 2 HR. 3.41 236 K, 12 behind Guidry’s 248 in 1978.
Schmidt (H, 2) 2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.82
Loaisiga 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.35
Peralta 0 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.72
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.55

The Yanks are off today.

Game 129. Judge hits #50, but Yanks lose, 4-3.

Aaron Judge became the third Yankee (after Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle; A-Rod* also did it, but two of the three times A-Rod* did it were with Texas, and the asterisk is there on purpose) and tenth player in MLB history with multi-50-HR seasons, but the Yanks (78-51) lost to the Angels Monday night, 4-3.

The Yanks’ lead over Tampa Bay is 7. The magic number for clinching the AL East is 28.

Yankees’ starter Frankie Montas gave up 3 HR, one to Shohei Ohtani, who has 4 career HR off of Montas. Ex-Yankee Mike Ford also tagged Montas.

Luis Rengifo started the scoring by hitting a HR off Montas in the bottom of the second.

The Yanks tied it in the third, but the way they did it raises questions. Also, Aaron Boone’s lineup raises questions.

With one out, Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked and Oswaldo Cabrera singled IKF to third. D.J. LeMahieu squeezed IKF home to tie the game. Now in certain circumstances I love the squeeze. Not here. The play took the bat out of Aaron Judge’s hands. He was then intentionally walked. Andrew Benintendi then grounded out to end the inning.

I can see D.J. not wanting to hit into a DP. Understood. But a sac fly gets the run in and then first base is NOT open, and the Angels probably DON’T walk Judge then. But with first base open, the Angels walk a 49 (now 50) HR guy to get to a guy with 4 HR this season. A no-brainer. Your best hitter had the bat taken out of his hands.

Which leads us to the lineup. Boone needs to stop changing the lineup every day and stick with something. And he needs to protect Judge. Put Giancarlo Stanton behind him. Now I understand when Stanton was on the IL that other than Rizzo, the only choices were Josh Donaldson or Gleyber Torres, both struggling, and that for a while, Rizzo was out with back issues. But you need someone behind Judge that the pitchers fear. Roger Maris in 1961 had Mantle behind him. It’s why Maris DID NOT GET ONE INTENTIONAL WALK ALL YEAR LONG IN 1961. Granted Stanton is still getting his bearings after coming off the IL, but he inspires more fear than Benintendi does. I’d have had a lineup of DJ, Benintendi, Judge, Stanton, Rizzo, Torres (Donaldson didn’t start last night). Donaldson 6 if Torres isn’t starting. Cabrera 7th. The kid is handling himself well. See below. He almost saved the game for the Yankees. Then Trevino or Higgy eighth, with IKF ninth. And LEAVE IT THAT WAY.

The Yanks went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth when Anthony Rizzo homered (29).

But in the bottom of the fourth, Ex-Yankee Mike Ford homered to tie the game.

In the top of the fifth, IKF doubled. Two outs later, Judge was intentionally walked again (see previous paragraph) to face Benintendi, who flied out. Now I don’t know what Stanton would have done, and this isn’t a knock on Benintendi, but you need a 24 HR Stanton or a 29 HR Rizzo protecting Judge, not a 4 HR Benintendi. The bat gets taken out of your best hitter’s hands again. Twice in a game that you lost 4-3 your best hitter didn’t get a chance to swing the bat.

In the bottom of the fifth, Ohtani, who seems to own Montas, hit a 2-run HR to put the Angels up 4-3. It was, as mentioned above, the fourth career HR Ohtani has hit off of Montas. The mistake here, as pointed out on MLB network’s broadcast, was that it was the fourth straight splitter thrown in the same location. To Ohtani’s credit, he adjusted. Montas needed to mix things up a little better there to keep Ohtani off balance.

In the eighth, Judge finally got to swing the bat again, and that is when he hit HR #50 to cut the Angels’ lead to 4-3.

The Yanks had a runner on in the ninth with two out. Rookie Oswaldo Cabrera got a good swing on one, but the ball was caught on the warning track by Mike Trout for the final out. The pinch-runner was Tim Locastro, called up when Marwin Gonzalez was put on paternity leave.

The purpose of this blog is not only to report, but also to provide objective analysis. I would do certain things to the lineup and leave it alone rather than to change it daily to suit the analytics people. But having the bat taken out of Judge’s hands twice helped contribute to a loss. You want your best hitter at least having a chance.

I do get a bit upset with people pushing the Ohtani MVP narrative. Yes, he’s great. But the second word is VALUABLE. Not special, which Ohtani, by being a great pitcher and hitter, is. Not Player of the Year or decade. VALUABLE. With Ohtani, the Angels are still only a fourth-place team at 56-73. Without him they are what, fourth? Last? But take away Judge from the Yankees. Are the Yankees (78-51, 7 game lead) still in first place? I don’t think so. Judge leads all of MLB in R, HR, RBI, Slugging average, OPS, OPS+ (199), and total bases. That is seven categories. And he leads the AL in walks. Without him the Yanks are not in first place. With Ohtani, the Angels are still in fourth. Enough said.

Clay Holmes came off the IL. Luke Bard sent down.



Judge solo HR (50)
Rizzo Solo HR (29)

Montas (L, 4-11) 6 IP, 4 R, 8 H, 0 W, 6 K. 1 WP. 1 HBP. Gave up 3 HR. 3.94 (Combined A’s/NYY Stats)
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.34
Luetge 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.53

Game 32. 10-4, Good buddy! Yankees win 17th of last 19 games behind 4 HR.

The Yankees (24-8) won for the 17th time in their last 19 games, beating the Chicago White Sox 10-4 Friday night.

The Yankees hit 4 HR in the game, and Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton did it again, and became the third pair of Yankees teammates to each have 10 or more HR in the team’s first 32 games of a season, following Ruth and Gehrig in 1930 and Mantle and Berra in 1956.

Before the game, Luis Gil sent back down, Clarke Schmidt brought up.

Stanton got the ball rolling with a 2-run HR in the first inning (10).

Yankees’ starter Gerrit Cole got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the first. In the top of the second, the Yanks scored three runs, and with Cole on the mound, you knew that was the ballgame. With one out, Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled, and Jose Trevino then singled IKF to third. Aaron Hicks doubled in IKF and Trevino scored on a groundout by D.J. LeMahieu. After Judge walked, Josh Donaldson doubled in Hicks to make the score 5-0.

Judge hit a solo HR, his MLB leading 12th, in the top of the fourth to make the score 6-0.

Chicago got a run in the bottom of the fourth when Cole balked home a run.

Joey Gallo homered in the top of the fourth (4) to put the Yanks up 7-1.

Cole gave up a 2-run HR in the bottom of the sixth and the White Sox had cut the score to 7-3.

In the top of the ninth, with one out, Judge singled and Donaldson hit a 2-run HR (4), to make it 9-3. Stanton and Gleyber Torres followed with singles, then Joey Gallo loaded the bases with another single. IKF hit a SF to make it 10-3.

Chicago got a run off of Michael King in the bottom of the ninth. Final score, 10-4.

Judge 2 hits, solo HR (12) Leads MLB in HR
Donaldson 2 hits, 3 RBI. 2-run HR (4)
Stanton 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (10)
Torres 2 hits
Gallo 2 hits, solo HR (4)
Kiner-Falefa (IKF) 2 hits, RBI

Cole (W, 3-0) 6 1/3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 1 W, 9 K. 1 WP. 1 balk. Gave up 1 HR. 2.95
King 2 2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1.59

With the win, the Yankees have a 4 1/2 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East, and are 7 1/2 up on third place Toronto. They have the best record in baseball.

Ex-Yankee pitcher Art Ditmar passes away at the age of 92.

Art Ditmar, an ex-Yankees’ pitcher who was involved in a controversy regarding the 1960 World Series, passed away last week at the age of 92.

Ditmar pitched for the Philadelphia A’s (1954), Kansas City A’s (1955-1956), Yankees (1957-1961), and back with the Kansas City A’s (1961-1962).

He beat the Yankees for his first MLB victory in the last game the A’s played at old Shibe Park (at that time renamed Connie Mack Stadium) before the A’s moved to KC in 1955. In this game, Yogi Berra played 3B and Mickey Mantle played SS.

Ditmar led the league in losses in 1956, going 12-22.

He pitched well for the Yankees in the 1957 and 1958 World Series, getting a ring for the 1958 World Champs.

He went 13-9, 2.90 in 1959 (ERA+ 126) and 15-9, 3.06 (ERA+ 118) in 1960, his two best years in the majors.

He then started game 1 of the 1960 WS. This prevented Whitey Ford from pitching in Games 1, 4 and 7 and may have cost the Yankees the WS. Ditmar lost both games he started, getting knocked out of Game 1 in the very first inning, getting just one out, and getting knocked out in the second inning of Game 5.

The decision to start Ditmar, and not go with Ford (who threw complete game shutouts in Games 3 and 6) contributed to the Yankees losing the WS and in letting manager Casey Stengel go after that 1960 World Series.

Many years later, a TV commercial insinuated incorrectly that Ditmar was the one who gave up the WS winning HR to Bill Mazeroski (it was Ralph Terry) in that WS. Ditmar sued but the case was dismissed.

Ditmar was 72-77, 3.98 in his MLB career (ERA+ 97; 100 is average). His 162 game average was 11-12, 3.98. That average would be about 24 starts, 20 relief appearances over 162 games.

He pitched six scoreless innings, across two games, against the Braves in the 1957 WS, and 3 2/3 scoreless innings in one game of the 1958 WS against the Braves. But in that 1960 WS against the Pirates he was 0-2, 21.60.

In five WS games, two starts, he was 0-2, 3.18.

As a hitter, he hit .178 with 2 HR.

Game 17. Yanks’ bats still quiet in 4-1 loss.

Since I was only six at the time, I don’t remember too much of the 1968 Yankees, other than honoring my dad’s request to call him if he was out of the room every time #7 (Mickey Mantle) came up to bat. It was Mickey’s last season and my dad didn’t want to miss Mickey’s at bats.

Mickey only hit .237 that season, but it still was one of the better averages on a team that only hit .214 (no DH). HIs 18 HR led the team (thanks to a gift from Denny McLain, he beat out Roy White by one HR).

But that team is noted for its offensive deficiencies in the year of the pitcher.

It’s early, but this 2021 Yankees team so far resembles that 1968 team offensively.

There is a lot of time to turn things around, but we the fan base are getting impatient. Especially after the Yanks (6-11) were futile offensively again in losing to Atlanta, 4-1, on Wednesday night.

Corey Kluber started and wasn’t bad until running out of gas in the fifth, when the Braves scored twice. The Braves got another run in the seventh, They got a solo HR in the ninth.

The Yanks’ only run was actually a gift. They should have been shut out. In the bottom of the ninth, Aaron Hicks walked with one out. After another out, Hicks moved up to second on defensive indifference. Clint Frazier blooped a single to drive in HIcks. It was Frazier’s first RBI of the year. It’s hard to believe that after 17 games, both Frazier and Gleyber Torres each have just one RBI.

The Yanks only got give hits in the game, and the team batting average dropped to .205. No need to highlight individual failings, there are so many.

The Yanks express confidence in the team, manager Aaron Boone, and also the coaching staff, but I am pretty sure the hitting coaches (Marcus Thames and P.J. Pilittere) are feeling the heat.

We the fans, are sure impatient. This team has to start hitting soon, but when?

The Yanks are actually second in the league in ERA (3.41) but in 17 games, have given up 11 unearned runs. The defense has to tighten up, too.

Kluber (L, 0-2) 4 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 4 H, 2 W. 5.40
Nelson 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 8.53
Cessa 2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.93
Kriske 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. 9.00 Gave up HR.

Kriske was brought up when King went back to the alternate site a few days ago. He was sent back down after the game so that the Yanks could recall Thursday’s starter, Domingo German.

Game 122. Unleash the Kraken! Yanks edge Orioles, 6-5.

The Yankees (81-41) edged Baltimore 6-5 Wednesday afternoon. The win was the Yanks 16th in a row vs. the Orioles and they went 17-2 against them this year.

With win #81 of the season, the Yanks ensured that they would not have a losing season. The last time that happened was in 1992.

Gary Sanchez, who had been slumping until Tuesday, had 3 hits and 3 RBI, including a 3-run HR. Good to get him going again. It was the 10th HR he hit against Baltimore this year. With Gleyber Torres hitting 13, they became the second pair of Yankees to each hit 10 or more homers against the same opponent since Ruth and Gehrig, who each mashed 11 home runs off Red Sox pitchers in 1927. (MLB.com)

Some company.

From MLB.com:

The 16 consecutive victories over Baltimore, is their longest single-season streak since winning 21 straight over the 1927 St. Louis Browns.

By going 17-2 against the O’s, it represented the Yanks’ best showing since they won 17 of 22 against the Kansas City Athletics in 1959. They also established a Major League record by belting 61 home runs against a single opponent, having homered in all 19 games against Baltimore. (43 of the HR were at Camden Yards, another record).

Torres also legged out a sixth-inning double, becoming the first Yankee to record 17 extra-base hits against one opponent in a single season since Mickey Mantle had 18 extra-base hits against the 1957 White Sox.

Before the game, the move was Thairo Estrada coming up, Adonis Rosa sent back down.

J.A. Happ gave up a run in the top of the first but the Yanks came right back with four in the bottom half.

Brett Gardner walked and Aaron Judge hit into a forceout. Gio Urshela singled, then Didi Gregorius singled in a run, with Urshela moving to third. Sanchez then launched a 3-run HR (26).

Baltimore got a run in the third to cut it to 4-2.

In the sixth, the Yanks got two runs to make it 6-2. With two out, Sanchez singled and Torres got that double. Mike Tauchman walked to load the bases and Mike Ford singled in two runs.

The Orioles got 3 runs off of Luis Cessa in the seventh.

Sanchez 3 for 3 with a walk. 3-run HR (26). Scored 2x, drove in 3.
Ford 2 RBI

Happ (W, 10-7, 5.40) 5 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 3 W, 6 K.
Cessa (H, 4) 1 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K.  4.33
Ottavino (H, 25) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.70
Britton (H, 25) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  2.17
Chapman (S, 33) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.   2.45

The Yanks claimed RHP Ryan Dull, 29, off of waivers. He was 0-0, 12.00 for Oakland this year. For his career, 8-9, 4.08, all with Oakland (2015-2019). He was claimed off of waivers from the Giants. His best year was in 2016 when he was 5-5, 2.42 for the A’s.

Brady Lail was DFA’d. Tough week for Mantiply and Lail. In the same game, Mantiply gets his first MLB win and Lail makes his MLB debut. In just a few days, both get DFA’d.

With today’s win, the Yanks’ lead in the AL East goes to 10 since the Rays lost. The magic # for the Yankees clinching their first AL East title since 2012 is 31 (updated the #, was one too many. 31.).

Game 120. Gleyber bashes O’s again, Yanks win 11-8.

The Yanks (79-41) beat Baltimore 11-8 in the night game of the day/night DH as Gleyber Torres continued to torment the Orioles.

Of Torres’ 26 HR this season, half have come vs. Baltimore. With two games left against the Orioles this year, Torres has 13 HR against Baltimore. The Yanks as a team have hit 59 HR vs. the Orioles (13 Torres, 9 by Sanchez), 43 at Camden Yards.

The major league record for most HR against one team in a single season is by Lou Gehrig in 1936 against the Cleveland Indians—14 of his 49 that year. Gleyber is one short.

Want more? From MLB.com (some repeating what I mentioned above) :

• The 13 homers vs. the Orioles this season are the most by a player against a single opponent in the divisional era (since 1969).

• The 13 homers vs. the Orioles are tied for the second most by a player against a single opponent in a season in MLB history (record is Lou Gehrig‘s 14 vs. Cleveland in 1936).

• Torres is the first player since Roger Maris in 1961 vs. the White Sox — his record-setting season — with 13 homers against a single opponent in a season.

• Torres’ five multihomer games vs. the Orioles are the most by a player in a season against a single opponent.

• With 50 career homers, he’s the third-youngest Yankees player to reach that mark.
(Mantle and DiMaggio)

• Torres is the youngest player in American League history to reach 8 career multihomer games.

• The second-year player has surpassed his rookie-year homer total of 24.

• Torres is the first player since Mike Schmidt (1983 vs. the Expos) to homer in both games of a doubleheader twice against the same team in the same season. Torres also homered in both games of a twin bill vs. the Orioles on May 15.

He’s not even 23 yet.

Things are getting so ridiculous with Gleyber vs. the Orioles that in the eighth inning, with two on and two out, the Orioles walked him intentionally to load the bases rather than face him.

The win was the Yanks’ 14th in a row over the Orioles. They are 15-2 vs. them this season.

With the win, the Yanks have a 9 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East. The magic # to clinch the division is 34.

In the first inning, D.J. LeMahieu singled, and one out later, Gio Urshela singled. Torres singled to load the bases, and Brett Gardner hit a 3-run triple. 3-0 Yanks.

With one out in the second, Breyvic Valera singled and LeMahieu walked. A WP moved the runners up, and an error in trying to get Valera at third moved them up even further, Valera scoring to make it 4-0.

The Yanks used a lot of B-pitchers in this game. Chad Green once again served as the opener.

Recently acquired Joe Mantiply, who got his first MLB win, gave up 3 runs, including a 2-run HR, in the third that cut the Yanks’ lead to 4-3. Mantiply was making his Yankees’ debut. He did pitch in five games in 2016 for the Tigers—to a 16.88 ERA. That career ERA wasn’t lowered by much.

Mike Ford homered (4) in the bottom of the fourth to make it 5-3 Yankees.

Torres hit the first of his two 3-run homers in the game in the fifth (25) to make it 8-3.

In the bottom of the sixth, he hit his SECOND 3-run homer of the game (26) to make it 11-3.

Brady Lail, making his MLB debut, gave up a 3-run HR in the seventh that cut the Yanks’ lead to 11-6.

Bottom of the eighth, and with two on and two out, Torres, as mentioned earlier, is intentionally walked. No chance for a third 3-run HR.

Torres also turned a nifty DP, barehanding a the flip to second before firing to first.

Baltimore got two runs in the top of the ninth to make it 11-8 before Adam Ottavino closed things out.

The Yankees’ pitching wasn’t great, but Gleyber made up for it.

LeMahieu 3 hits, .338
Urshela 3 hits, .332 (can he catch D.J.?)
Torres 3 hits, Two 3-run HR (26)  6 RBI. Team HR leader (passed Sanchez).
Gardner 3 RBI
Ford solo HR (4)

Green 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.   4.69
Mantiply (W, 1-0, 9.00) 3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. NYY Debut, 1st MLB win.
Lail (H, 1) 2 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K.  Gave up 1 HR. MLB debut.  10.13
Cortes, Jr. 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K.   4.44
Ottavino (S, 2) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.71