Starlin Castro’s Walk-Off HR Lifts Yankees Over Rockies 9-8

The New York Yankees avoided a 2016 series sweep by the Colorado Rockies Wednesday with a tense 9-8 win thanks to Starlin Castro‘s walk-off solo shot.

An impressive comeback by the New York Yankees was capped by Starlin Castro’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the team a 9-8 victory of the Colorado Rockies. The Yankees had previously lost all three contests against the Rockies this season, so it was nice to see at least one of these to finally go in the win column.

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Some early control struggles came back to bite Colorado starter Jon Gray. He walked five in his four innings of work, including two in the second inning to help load the bases for Yankees third baseman Chase Headley. After a miserable start to the season, Headley quietly turned things around since May, hitting .307//366/.426 (115 wRC+) in his last 112 PA. Headley didn’t disappoint in this big spot, launching the ball into Monument Park for a grand slam to give the Yankees an early 4-0 lead.

A fielding error by New York starter CC Sabathia set up a two RBI single by Charlie Blackmon in the third, and the Rockies took the lead the next inning with a three-run shot by catcher Nick Hundley. Sabathia was pulled in the fifth after walking Nolan Arenado in lead off the inning. Yankees long man Anthony Swarzak promptly allowed an RBI double to shortstop Trevor Story and a two-run home run to Ryan Raburn, extending the Rockies lead to 8-4.

The Yankees offense began their impressive rally in the seventh inning. Rob Refsnyder led off the inning by reaching on a catcher’s interference call. A single by Brett Gardner brought up the team’s hottest hitter in Carlos Beltran. Coming into the day, Beltran was hitting .344/.373/656 (wRC+) in June. He came through with his 19th home run of the season, which ties his total number of dingers from 2015. It took Beltran fewer than half as many plate appearances to reach that mark this year. A ground-rule double by Brian McCann, an infield single by Starlin Castro, and a clutch RBI single to left by Didi Gregorius knotted the game at eight runs.

With the off-day Thursday, manager Joe Girardi went to Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and Aroldis Chapman for innings seven through nine. They struck out six of the nine batters they faced en-route to three perfect innings. Starlin Castro led off the ninth with a blast to left field, and the Yankees had themselves a win.

Notes:

• Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was back in the lineup Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s game with the flu.
• Rob Refsnyder received his second straight start at first base with a right hander on the mound, despite the presence of lefty Ike Davis on the bench. Manager Joe Girardi offered this explanation to Randy Miller of NJ.com: “Well, [Refsnyder’s] at-bats have been good. I think he’s an outstanding baserunner. You look at the things that he’s done, he’s moved up on balls in the dirt, the double [Tuesday] … I just like the way that he’s playing and it’s why I’m sticking with him right now.”
• First baseman Chris Parmelee is progressing in his return from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him since June 9th. Before Wednesday’s game Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues reported Parmelee will resume baseball activities either later this week or early next week.