Game 37. Yanks’ 8-game winning streak snapped. Lose 5-4 to Boston.

The Yanks’ eight-game winning streak was snapped last night when they lost 5-4 to Boston. The loss puts the Yanks at 26-11 and in a first-place tie with the Red Sox.

Time to start a new streak.

The Yanks have still won 17 of their last 19 games.

One problem that reared its head in last night’s loss was a limited bullpen. Some guys weren’t available. Manager Aaron Boone tried to squeeze an extra inning out of Dellin Betances and it backfired (barely) on him.

The problem is this: Tommy Kahnle and Adam Warren are on the DL. A.J. Cole and David Hale are starters who are in the bullpen and never used. Cole and Hale have each appeared in just one game as Yankees. So even though there are eight guys in the bullpen (taking away a bench player), Boone is operating like it is a six-man bullpen. There doesn’t seem to be much trust in Cole or Hale.

And why should there be? Hale has pitched in two games this year. For the Yanks, one game, two scoreless innings. For the Twins, one game, gave up 4 runs in 3 IP. Since 2014, he has started in 12 games, relieved in nine more, and is 5-5, 6.33.

As for Cole, he got in one game as a Yankee, two scoreless innings. But before this year, with Washington, he started two games, relieved in two more, and was 1-1, 13.06. In his MLB career, 28 starts, 12 relief appearances, Cole is 7-12, 5.22.

I don’t think Boone trusts either in a big spot and is saving them for blowouts. They seem to be just biding time until Warren and Kahnle return from the DL.

But you wonder. If that’s all they are doing, why isn’t someone up from the minors? Don’t they trust some youngster down there?

To the game. CC didn’t have it. He gave up a run in the first and two in the third. Mookie Betts was a thorn in his side. In the bottom of the fourth, the Yanks loaded the bases with one out but couldn’t score. It would bite them later, as they lost by one run.

CC gave up a HR to Hanley Ramirez in the fifth to make it 4-0 Boston, then came a rain delay. He was done.

From one long-hair with braids guy named Ramirez (Manny) to another (Hanley) who plays for Boston and kills the Yanks. Sheesh.

The Yanks only got five hits all night, two by Gleyber Torres.

In the seventh the Yanks tied it up. With one out, Andujar and Torres both singled. Walker, PH for Torreyes, walked. After a pitching change, Gardner walked in a run, and Judge singled one in. Didi brought home a run with a force out to make it 4-3 and Gardner scored on a WP that tied the game.

It didn’t last long. Betances, with Boone trying to stretch him out for two innings, gave up a HR to J.D. Martinez in the top of the eighth that just cleared the fence in right. Aaron Judge missed catching it by maybe a foot. 5-4 Boston, the final score.

History shows that Betances isn’t as good in the second inning. Now with the Yanks scoring four in the bottom of the seventh, he did have to wait a while on the bench before going back out there. But you wonder, is he just a one-inning guy or will Boone keep trying to push him? Based on last night’s post-game interview, it appears that Boone will try to keep pushing him for now.

The Yanks got two on with two out in the bottom of the eighth, but Walker struck out looking.

Sabathia 4+ IP, 4 R, 9 H, 0 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.23
Holder 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.76
Betances (L, 1-2, 5.63) 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Shreve 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 3.14

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Game 19. Monty comes through in Yanks’ win. Warren to DL, and it’s Gleyber time!

After the stinkeroos that Tanaka and Gray provided the last two games, the Yanks needed a starter to provide some depth to save the bullpen and Jordan Montgomery provided it in a 9-1 Yankees’ win that put their record at 10-9.

They picked up a game on both Toronto (who they beat) and also Boston, who were no-hit out in Oakland.

Before the game, Adam Warren was put on the DL with a back strain and Jonathan Holder was called back up.

Montgomery got out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the top of the third.

Aaron Judge hit his sixth HR of the season, a 2-run shot, 443 ft., ,in the bottom of the third, to give the Yanks a 2-0 lead. Fastest ever to 62 HR.

In the fifth, Toronto scored to make it 2-1, but the Yanks scored seven in the bottom of the sixth to break it open.

Gardner singled and Judge walked. Didi singled in a run to make it 3-1. Stanton walked to load the bases. Hicks reached on an error to make it 4-1. After Walker struck out, Andujar cleared the bases on a double, 7-1.   Romine walked and Torreyes singled to load the bases. Gardner SF, 8-1, Judge single, 9-1.

Judge 2 for 4, scored 2, drove in 3. HR. Also Walked.
Didi 2 hits. Scored one, drove in one, walked.
Andujar 2 hits, 3 RBI. Getting hot. Raised average from .107 to .250

Montgomery (W, 2-0, 3.80) 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 W, 5 K.
Shreve 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00
Holder 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 11.57

Later, it was revealed that Gleybor Torres has been called up for Sunday. No corresponding move made but I would guess Tyler Wade (3 for 35) has been sent down.

Prayers go out to Daniel Faraquar of the White Sox who pitched Friday night, came into the dugout and collapsed with a brain hemorrhage. Stable but critical.

Severino on Sunday, with Gleyber most likely in the lineup.

 

 

 

 

 

Game 18. “Gray” Cloudy skies. Sonny bad in 8-5 Yanks’ loss.

After four starts, Masahiro Tanaka has an ERA of 6.45. Sonny Gray’s is worse at 8.27. That, as well as the fact that several key Yankees aren’t hitting, is why the Yanks are 9-9 after Friday night’s 8-5 loss to Toronto.

Should they be 9-9? Well, after 18 games, they have scored 99 runs and have given up 98. If that isn’t saying 9-9, what is?

Meanwhile, Boston keeps making like the 1984 Detroit Tigers who started out 35-5 and who ran away with the season. The Red Sox are now 17-2.

The Yanks are digging themselves a hole, and early. Yes, you can make the excuse that they haven’t played in good weather yet (except for the opening series in Toronto’s dome). You can say that pitchers are having trouble with the grip in the cold for their curveballs or sliders and that hitters are uncomfortable in the cold, too. You can wonder why Boston’s schedule has them in Anaheim and Miami while the Yanks have seemingly been stuck in the Arctic. But these wins for Boston and losses for the Yanks still count. 18 games into the season, the Yanks are 9-9, which is 7 1/2 games behind Boston already, and 3 1/2 behind Toronto.

Despite the struggles of Stanton (.205), Sanchez (.182), Walker (.179), Wade (.086), etc. the team OPS+ after Friday night’s game was a 115. 15% above league average, thanks to Didi and Judge. So even with some guys doing subpar or awful offensively, you can see how good the offense could be once some guys get going, especially if it is a 115 now.

But as for the pitching, coaches Rothschild and Harkey have a lot of work to do. Going into Friday night’s game, the ERA+ was 93. 7% below league average, and that doesn’t count unearned runs, because the Yanks’ defense was the worst in the league. Last night didn’t help. You can’t have two supposed aces in Tanaka and Gray both have ERAs over 6. (not to mention Betances and Kahnle (currently on the DL) in the bullpen).

In half of their 18 games this season, Yankees’ pitching has given up six or more runs. No wonder then, that their record is 9-9. They have done so in eight of their last eleven games. That won’t do. Pitching is the key to the kingdom. Boston has two starters with ERAs under 1.50(!) and another at 2.25. Now they’ll regress to the mean, but you can see why they are 17-2.

Even if the Yanks’ offense was clicking, you can’t be giving up six or more runs a game.

The Yanks have to do a lot of things better, and starting pitching is right up there, unless you want to burn out your bullpen early.

Tyler Austin hit a two-run HR (3) to put the Yanks up 2-0 in the second. Gray gave up a 2-run HR right away to blow the lead in the top of the third. Stanton hit a 2-run HR (4) in the bottom of the third to put the Yanks up 4-2 but Gray gave three back immediately in the top of the fourth to put Toronto up 5-4. He was behind hitters, walked too many, and got pounded.

Miguel Andujar tied the game up with his second HR of the season in the bottom of the fourth, but that was it for Yankees’ scoring last night.

Toronto got two runs off Domingo German in the fifth, and Adam Warren gave up a solo HR in the sixth. 8-5 Toronto.

Ronald Torreyes had three hits, Tyler Austin two.

Gray 3 1/3 IP, 5 R, 5 H, 4 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR. 8.27
German (L, 0-1, 6.14) 1 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 4 W, 3 K.
Warren 2 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.24
Shreve 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K   0.00

The Yankees will have some decisions to make soon. When Torres comes up, Tyler Wade will probably be going down. Drury most likely will replace Andujar. But what of Bird? Tyler Austin is doing ok. Could Neil Walker then be on his way out? Torreyes (.438!) isn’t going anywhere. Jacoby Ellsbury (if he EVER gets healthy) could replace Jace Peterson. But the Walker thing, wow. And there still wouldn’t be room for say, Adam Lind or Clint Frazier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Game 15. Yanks maul Marlins, 12-1.

You kind of wish this didn’t happen against two Yankees’ legends, CEO (Yankees #2) Derek Jeter and manager (Yankees #23) Don Mattingly of the Miami Marlins, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

The best way, it seems, for teams to get healthy right now is to play one of the Florida teams, the Rays or Marlins, because both stink.

Still, you have to win the game. The Yanks, playing after two days of rain outs, pounded the Marlins 12-1 to go to 8-7 on the season.

Going into the game, the Yanks were the perfect .500 team at 7-7. What do I mean by perfect? They scored 77 runs, and gave up 77 runs. The offense was 10% above league average, the pitching 10% below league average. If that isn’t a perfect .500 team, what is?

Before the game, some news. Jacoby Ellsbury is morphing into Carl Pavano. First a rib cage injury, then a hip injury, now it is his plantar fascitis. He hasn’t played a game for the Yanks yet, hasn’t played since how many weeks ago in spring training, is the #5 OF, is owed $68 million over this year and the next two…. Sheesh.

As for Brandon Drury, he is taking meds to calm down the migraines, but still has blurry vision. Blurry vision he says he has had over the last several years, and he admits to stepping in the batter’s box with the blurry vision! Which makes what he has done in the majors so far that much more impressive and scary. Blurry vision while facing a 100 MPH fastball? No thanks. Get that vision and migraines taken care of and hopefully, the situation isn’t major.

If he was a good player with blurry vision, what could he become with clear vision?

Now to the game. A mauling which you wish didn’t happen against Donnie and Derek, but what can you do?

Ex-Yankee Caleb Smith (there with the Yanks briefly last year) started for the Marlins and got mauled.

The Yanks scored in each of the first five innings.

In the first, Gardner singled,  Judge walked. Stanton walked to load the bases. After Didi popped up (He would make up for it later), Sanchez’ IF single brought home a run. After Hicks popped up, Austin walked to make it 2-0.

In the second, Judge homered (4) to make it 3-0. Judge became the fastest player ever to 60 career HR.

In the third, two more runs. Didi walked, Sanchez singled. Hicks doubled both home. 5-0.

In the fourth, with two out, Stanton was HBP. Didi hit a HR, his first of two on the night, to make it 7-0.

To the fifth, and the Yanks put up four more to make it 11-0. Austin led off with a double and Andujar doubled to make it 8-0. Torreyes singled Andujar to third. Gardner walked. Judge singled in a run. After two outs, Sanchez singled in two to make it 11-0.

In the seventh, Didi hit his second HR of the game (5) to make it 12-0.

Meanwhile, Severino was dealing. 6 IP, no runs, one hit. Miami got its only run of the game in the eighth, after Seve was out of the game.

15 hits, 8 walks, 1 HBP.

Didn’t realize. Jace Peterson back with the team…

Gardner 2 hits, walk, 2 runs scored.
Judge 2 hits, HR, 2 runs scored, 1 walk.
Didi 2 hits, both HR, 3 RBI, scored 3 runs. Walked. How he has developed.
Sanchez 3 hits, scored one run, drove in 3. Starting to heat up. Walk.
Hicks 2 RBI, walk
Austin 2 hits, rbi, walk.
Andujar 2 hits, scored one, drove one in. Walk. He’s starting to get hot.

Some guys, notably Andujar and Sanchez, seem to be picking it up. A good sign. Getting Hicks back helps, too.

Severino (W 3-1, 2.63) 6 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 8 K
Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K. 3.18
Shreve 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. 0.00
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 7.04

Sad NBA note. #15 for the Philadelphia 76ers, G Hal Greer, passed away on April 14 at the age of 81. A great guard for the 76ers in the 1960s, and on their 1967 NBA title team.

From Wikipedia:

He played for the Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1958 through 1973. A guard, Greer was a 10-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA Second Team seven times. He was named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and he had his uniform number retired by the 76ers.

Greer had an unusual but highly effective free throw technique, shooting a jump shot from the charity stripe. He is usually considered the third-best guard of the 1960s, behind Oscar Robertson and fellow West Virginia native Jerry West.

 

 

 

Game 13. Yanks lose, 6-3.

So far, we have been waiting to see the ace that Sonny Gray was in Oakland—the one that from 2013-2015, put up a 2.88 ERA.

We’re still waiting. Gray had a 3.72 ERA last year after the Yanks traded for him. Good, not great.

Last night he was bad, as was Severino and Tanaka the two games before, as Yankees’ starting pitching wasn’t too good in the three game series up in Boston. They lost last night 6-3, to drop two of the three games up in Boston. They are now 6-7 on the season, and 4 1/2 back of Boston already.

The game was interrupted by a rain delay of about 45 minutes.

I read somewhere that there are rumors that Gray, like Severino may have been two nights before, could have been tipping his pitches. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild has some work to do.

Gray gave up four runs in the second, two more in the third. He hit one batter, forcing him from the game, and threw three wild pitches. Just a poor outing.

Meanwhile the Yanks were being no-hit for six innings, with their only base runner coming when Stanton was HBP in the fourth. Judge broke up the no-no with a seventh-inning double. The Yanks got just four hits in the game.

Gary Sanchez’ bases-loaded double in the ninth scored the Yanks’ three runs.

Before the game, I was wondering if Ronald Torreyes might get playing time because of the struggles of Tyler Wade and Miguel Andujar. Torreyes did start at 3B, with Andujar getting a day off. He went 1 for 3 with a double. Manager Boone should keep him in there. Torreyes is hitting .353 in his limited playing time so far this year. Meanwhile Tyler Wade continues to struggle, down to .097 (and just 12 for 89 in his MLB career so far), and Andujar is at .107. As I wrote yesterday, to paraphrase the Who, the Kids are NOT alright. Pulling for the kids, but if they keep going like that, you can’t go with them. Sooner or later, you have to produce.

Hopefully the Yanks can right the ship soon. Right now, they aren’t clicking.

Gray (L, 1-1, 6.92) 3 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 2 W, 3 K.
German 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 4.76
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 6.14
Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.86

Game 10. Yanks blow early lead; Stanton’s struggles continue.

Already this year, the Yanks have had three ugly losses. This was one of them.

Jordan Montgomery could not protect a five-run first inning lead, and the Yanks wound up losing 8-7 in 12 innings to even their record at 5-5. Today is an off-day, and they go to Boston (8-1) Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. They are already 3 1/2 games behind the Red Sox and …. well, you can figure out that even though it’s early, how important these games are already.

It would behoove some guys to start hitting. Gary Sanchez is 2 for 32 for the season. Giancarlo Stanton is 7 for 42 with 20(!) strikeouts. That is a combined 9 for 74, .122 batting average. Tyler Wade is 3 for 20, as is Miguel Andujar. The Yanks are only hitting .237 as a team after 10 games. 

The Yanks got five in the first inning yesterday. Gardner and Judge singled. Stanton, who was 0 for 7 for the day with 5 strikeouts, struck out. Walker reached on an error, scoring Gardner. Austin walked to load the bases. (Sanchez and Didi didn’t start the game, Didi got in later, Sanchez didn’t play). Andujar singled in two, and after an out, Romine singled in a run to make it 4-0 and Torreyes’ double made it 5-0.

But Baltimore got one in the second, one in the third, and two in the fifth to cut it to 5-4. Romine singled in a run in the fifth to make it 6-4 Yanks.

But the Yanks couldn’t hold them. The Orioles got one in the sixth and two in the seventh to go up 7-6. Romine, who had a big day, tied it up in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single.

After Baltimore scored in the top of the twelfth, the Yanks loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the twelfth, but Judge hit into a 1-2-5 DP and Stanton struck out.

Montgomery 4 1/3, 4 R, 10 H, 2 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.82. Disappointing. Could not hold an early  5-run lead.
German 2 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up HR. K’s nice, but gave away the lead. 10.13
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.  4.50
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.80
Shreve 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00
Robertson 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.40.
Warren (L, 0-1) 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 3 K. 4.91.

Yanks’ pitchers struck out 15, but….

Gardner 2 hits.
Judge 2 hits, 2 walks, but that 12th inning DP….
Austin 2 hits,
Andujar 2 hits, 2 RBI
Peterson 2 hits
Romine 3 hits, 3 RBI

The third disappointing loss already this season in ten games.

One thing we know: Sanchez and Stanton have to get going….

Game 9. Yanks make DL moves, win 8-3.

After last night’s game, not everyone escaped unharmed. The Yanks had to make some moves before today’s game.

CC: 10 day DL, sore hip.
Drury: 10 day DL, migraines. So Miguel Andujar will have the chance over the next few days to show what he can do.
Holder: back to minors because of workload Friday and ineffectiveness.

Cessa: brought up b/c bullpen burned out in 14 inning game Fri. night. Pitched sat.
German: brought up
Jace Peterson: Brought up to replace Drury. Made great catch (see below) on Sat. Started Saturday’s game in LF.

Aaron Hicks is expected off the DL on Tuesday.

Jacoby Ellsbury saw a specialist about the hip.

Now for Saturday’s game, which the Yanks won 8-3 to put their record at 5-4 (now for Boston to start losing, and what better time than this coming week when the Yanks visit Fenway?)

The Yanks got two in the second. Andujar singled and with two out, Torreyes doubled. Gardner singled in two.

Baltimore tied it in the third on a two-run double by Manny Machado. They went up 3-2 in the fourth.

The Yanks tied it in the fifth when Torreyes (3 hits) singled, Gardner walked, both moved up on a WP and Judge got an rbi groundout.

Jace Peterson made a great play in the top of the sixth to save a couple of runs.

The Yanks got two in the sixth on a walk to Didi, single by Austin and SF by Andujar that put the Yanks up 4-3. A single by Peterson and WP put runners on second and third, then Romine’s bloop single off of Chris Davis’ glove made it 5-3, Yankees.

In the top of the seventh, David Robertson came in with men on second and third with one out and Houdini got two strikeouts to get out of it.

The Yanks put the game away in the bottom of the seventh. Gardner walked and Judge doubled in a run. Stanton flied out, moving Judge to third. Didi was walked but stole second, and Tyler Austin singled in two runs.

After a long, 14-inning loss Friday night, the Yanks needed some depth from the starter and they got it.

Gray (W, 1-0, 3.60) 6 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 2 w, 4 K.
Warren (H, 1) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.38
Robertson (H, 2), 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 4 K. 6.35
Cessa 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00

Gardner 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2 walks.
Judge 2 RBI
Austin 2 hits, 2 RBI
Torreyes 3 hits.