Recap: Yankees Use Long Ball 5 Times In Blowout Win
Sep 6, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees left fielder
Alfonso Soriano(12) hits a two-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
After last night’s game against the Pirates was postponed due to rain, the Yankees certainly looked like a team that just had an off day, going yard five times against the Pirates, en route to an easy 7-1 victory in front of a packed house of 47, 353 at Yankee Stadium.
Mark Teixeira got the home run barrage started for the Yankees in the first inning, lifting a two run homer into the right field stands to give the Bombers an early lead. In the third, Zoilo Almonte (only starting today because Jacoby Ellsbury is suffering from flu-like symptoms), crushed a solo homer into the right field bleachers, to extend the Yankee lead to 3-0. Brett Gardner, Alfonso Soriano, and Brian McCann would all go deep as well.
But what looked on paper like an easy victory for the Yankees, was anything but easy for the first chunk of the game. David Phelps got the start for the Yankees, and despite letting runners on every inning, was able to throw five shutout innings for the Yankees, and earned his first win of the season (1-0).
Phelps constantly bent, but refused to brake. Phelps got some help from his defense in the third however, when with Gaby Sanchez on second with two outs, Jordy Mercer lined a single into right field. Sanchez chugged around third, headed home. But Alfonso Soriano made a perfect throw to McCann, to easily nail Sanchez at home.
Dellin Betances relieved Phelps in the sixth, and was once again, very impressive. Despite giving up a leadoff homer to Starling Marte that ended the shutout, he was able to strike out the side to end the sixth. Betances has become an extremely valuable weapon for the Yankees out of the ‘pen. He is a power arm, who consistently reaches 98 mph with his fastball, and nearly half of his outs this year have been strikeouts. As the season has gone on, it’s become obvious how much more Joe Girardi is trusting him, using him in big situation after big situation.
In the sixth, Tony Sanchez lead off with what looked to be a sure double off the center field wall. The ball went off the wall, and perfectly landed in Brett Gardner’s bare hand. Gardner fired it to Jeter at second, beating Sanchez by a mile. But the second base ump ruled Sanchez had gotten around Jeter’s tag and was safe. Jeter immediately told them to review it. Girardi never even had to come out. It was obvious the ump had made a mistake, as the call was reversed right away. With that, Derek Jeter became the first position player in MLB history to call his own challenge. Just another thing he’s in the record books for.
Adam Warren relieved Betances in the eighth, and pitched a scoreless inning. Betances to Warren has become the perfect bridge to Robertson in the ninth, so it will be interesting to see what Girardi will decide to do once Shawn Kelley is off the DL.
Matt Daley finished the Pirates off in the ninth 1-2-3, sealing the Yankees’ third win a row. Because of Friday’s rain out, The Yankees will play a double header tomorrow, with Hiroki Kuroda (2-3, 4.62 ERA) on the mound in the opener, against Charlie Morton (0-5, 3.22 ERA). Vidal Nuno (1-1, 6.43 ERA) will go for the Yankees in the second game, against Gerrit Cole (3-3, 3.76 ERA).