In the case of last night's series opener, which was supposed to be the 2nd game of a 4-game series at Yankee Stadium, but rain rendered the 1st of 3, 3rd-best was just fine.
J.A. Happ started for the Yankees, and was allowed to go only 5 innings, just 84 pitches. In that time though, he allowed just 1 run on 3 hits with 2 walks, striking out 5.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, acting as his own manager while using Aaron Boone as a front, appears to be determined to break Mike Marshall's 1974 record of 106 appearances in a season by a pitcher, with all 4 of his usual relievers. So far, it hasn't hurt the team much, but I worry that it will. I still remember Joe Torre's 2004 use of "QuanGorMo": Paul Quantrill, Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera.
Last night, once again, Adam Ottavino pitched the 6th inning, Tommy Kahnle the 7th, Zack Britton the 8th, and Aroldis Chapman the 9th. Between them, in 4 innings, they allowed no runs on 2 hits and a walk, striking out 5.
But Chris Sale, one of the few genuine aces in Major League Baseball, was starting for the Red Sox. In spite of the terrible start he's gotten off to this season, it would be just like the Yankees to fold and give him the boost he needed to recover his confidence for the rest of the season. So runs were necessary, and soon.
Sure enough, the Yankees already trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the 3rd. But Gio Urshela led off the inning with a single. After Cameron Maybin struck out, Brett Gardner singled, and DJ LeMahieu doubled Urshela home. Luke Voit struck out, but Aaron Hicks singled home Gardner and LeMahieu. 3-1 Yankees.
LeMahieu added a home run in the 5th inning, to set up the final score. Yankees 4, Red Sox 1. WP: Happ (5-3). SV: Chapman (16). LP: Sale (1-7).
You might say the Yankees closed out the Sale. Well, as the late, great Scottish actor Ian Richardson would have said, "You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment."
The series continues tonight, with a 7:15 first pitch, because Fox wants those prime time ratings. Never mind the people who actually go to the game, and might want to spend a nice Saturday afternoon at the ballpark, watching the Yankees kick the shit out of the Red Sox. At any rate, Domingo German starts for the Good Guys, Rick Porcello for The Scum. Come on you Pinstripes!