Yesterday, had she lived, my grandmother would have turned 99. She could really hold a grudge. She was a Brooklyn Dodger fan, and she never forgave the Los Angeles version of the team for leaving her. She hated the Yankees once upon a time, but softened on them over time.
So she might have liked at least the last 2 games of this weekend series between the Yankees and the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Especially since there was good pitching. Domingo Germán started for the Yankees, and went 6 2/3rds shutout innings, allowing on 4 hits a 1 walk, striking out 6. But Bobby Miller also kept the Yankees off the scoreboard.
So the game was scoreless after 6 innings. In the top of the 7th, Jake Bauers singled. Isiah Kiner-Falefa bunted him over, and reached on a throwing error. And Kyle Higashioka grounded to short, allowing Bauers to score. However, Germán blew his shot at the win by allowing a home run to J.D. Martinez, tying the game in the bottom of the 7th, so he didn't get the win.
Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you. With 1 out in the top of the 8th, Anthony Rizzo drew a walk. Giancarlo Stanton doubled. And Oswaldo Cabrera got him home with a groundout. Clay Holmes had finished the 7th, and pitched a scoreless 8th, In the 9th, IKF drew a walk, and Anthony Volpe hit a home run.
Wandy Peralta walked the leadoff man, Will Smith, in the bottom of the 9th. Uh-oh... But he picked Smith off 1st, got Max Muncy to fly the center, and got Martinez to ground to 3rd. Yankees 4, Dodgers 1. WP: Holmes (4-2). SV: Peralta (4). LP: Evan Phillips (1-1).
The Yankees are 6 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Eastern Division, and currently hold the 5th slot in the AL Playoffs. They hit 8 home runs in the 3 games. And that's with Aaron Judge having gotten the day off yesterday. You know what Yankee Haters say about Yankee Stadium II. Is Dodger Stadium "a little league field," too? No, it is not. When fully healthy, the Yankees can flat-out hit.
Except the Yankees might not be fully healthy. The injury parade never ends. It seems as though there's always going to be holes in the starting rotation. Nestor Cortés is getting an MRI on his shoulder, and is probably going on the Injured List. Even if it's just the 10-Day version, that's at least 2 missed starts.
In addition, the reason Judge had the day off was that he appeared to have injured his toe making that great catch against the bullpen gate on Saturday. He's going to get an MRI, too. Outfielder Greg Allen went on the 10-Day List with a hip injury, and relief pitcher Ryan Weber went on the 15-Day list with a forearm strain. Cabrera was called up, and so was reliever Nick Ramirez.
The Yankees have come home, and have tonight off. Tomorrow night, they start a series with the Chicago White Sox.