They got it. The pitching game through, with Masahiro Tanaka pitching his 2nd straight strong game after struggling so hard this season: 6 innings, 2 runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts -- and no home runs. Chasen Shreve got the 1st out in the 7th, and Chad Green the other 2 and all 3 in the 8th.
A White Sox error led to 3 Yankee runs in the 1st before Tanaka even had to throw a pitch. Rookie left fielder Tyler Wade got his 1st major league hit and RBI with a 6th inning double, part a a 5-run inning that also included another Aaron Judge home run, his 27th. The Yankees scored 4 more runs in the 9th, including the 9th home run of the season by Didi Gregorius.
The Yankees took a 10-run lead in the bottom of the 9th. Now, I have said on a number of occasions that Joe Girardi is an idiot. But, having gotten success out of Tyler Wade, I was concerned that he might put Tyler Clippard into the game.
He didn't. He did, however, put rookie Tyler Webb in. And, for a moment, I was worried that he might be as bad as Tyler Clippard -- or that even Tyler Austin, who is not a pitcher, would be a better option. Fortunately, Webb allowed just 1 run, and we all calmed down. We didn't have too many Tylers spoiling the game.
Yankees 12, White Sox 3. WP: Tanaka (6-7). No save. LP: Carlos Rodon (0-1). And, with the Boston Red Sox losing last night, the Yankees are again tied for 1st place in the American League East, a game ahead of the Sox in the all-important loss column.
The series concludes tonight. Luis Cessa starts for the Bronx Bombers, and former Tampa Bay pain in the neck James Shields for the Pale Hose. Then, it's off to Houston for a weekend series against the rampaging Astros, which could be a harbinger of things to come -- either way.