So the last Yankee game I posted about was on April 30. Here goes:
Last Wednesday -- who decided it should be spelled "Wednesday," but pronounced "Wenzday," anyway? A real weirdo. -- May 1, the Yankees played the 3rd game of a 4-game series against the team they're currently fighting for 1st place in the American League Eastern Division, the Baltimore Orioles, at Camden Yards.
Before that, in 9 tries this season, they had scored 2 or fewer runs in a game, and lost them all. How many times, Ed Rooney?
Anyway, this time, they got 2 runs, on a 2-run home run by Oswaldo Cabrera in the 5th. But they only needed 1. Luis Gil once again did a good job of filling the hole in the rotation from Gerrit Cole's injury. This time, a great job: 6 1/3 innings, no runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts. Between them, Caleb Ferguson, Ian Hamilton and Clay Holmes pitched 2 2/3rds innings, just 1 hit and just 1 walk. Yankees 2, Orioles 0.
The series finale, on Thursday afternoon, would be different. Carlos Rodón had nothing, Gleyber Torres hit a home run but the team only got 5 other hits, and the Orioles won, 7-2.
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On Friday, the Yankees came home, and welcomed the Detroit Tigers to Yankee Stadium II. It looked like this would be another insufficient-scoring defeat. Over the 1st 8 innings, they got only 2 hits: A leadoff single by Anthony Volpe in the 1st, and a single by Torres in the 2nd. They did draw 5 walks, but they didn't help much. And, of course, all night, home plate umpire Alan Porter was expanding the plate for the Yankee hitters, calling some ridiculous strikes. Marcus Stroman, Hamilton, Victor González and Dennis Santana pitched very well, but the Yankees couldn't score for them.
But in the bottom of the 9th, Aaron Judge singled up the middle, Alex Verdugo beat out a bunt to 3rd, Giancarlo Stanton brought Judge home with a double to right, and Anthony Rizzo singled to right to bring Verdugo home. Yankees 2, Tigers 1. The Yankees were now 2-10 when scoring 2 or fewer.
Clarke Schmidt was a little shaky on Saturday afternoon, but 4 runs in the 3rd, including a home run by Rizzo, gave him what he needed. Yankees 5, Tigers 3.
All day Sunday, it rained, and it looked like the umpires might call the game before the Yankees could win it. Nestor Cortés pitched well, and the 5-inning threshold came and went with the Yankees up, 2-0. It kept raining, but the umps wouldn't call it. The Tigers tied the game in the top of the 7th.
Fortunately, the umps still didn't call it. In the bottom of the 7th, the Yankees loaded the bases, and Juan Soto cleared them with a double to right. The top of the 8th was played, with the score still 5-2 Yankees, and then the umps called it, when there was just 2 half-innings to go. Oh well, a win is a win.
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The Yankees are 23-13, 1 game behind the Orioles in the Division, 2 in the loss column. They have done this with strong starting pitching, a good bullpen despite doubts about Holmes' role as the closer, and much-improved defense. In particular, Volpe has grown up into a solid major-league shortsotp.
The Yankees have done this despite injuries to Gerrit Cole (the latest update on his recovery is encouraging), DJ LeMahieu (less so), and Jonathan Loáisiga (he will not return this season). They have done it despite Torres having an OPS+ of 65, and an overall OPS+ of 89 for the 2 catchers, Jose Trevino and Austin Wells. They have done this despite only Soto, at .421, having a higher on-base percentage than Verdugo's .353.
Can they keep up that record, with stats like those? I'd rather not find out: I'd rather the stats improve. Just because they are now 2-10 when scoring 2 or fewer runs doesn't mean they should score only 3 per game.
Tonight, the Yankees are off. Tomorrow, the Chicken Fried Cheats, the Houston Astros, come to town. I hope we beat the hell out of them, 3 straight.
Of course, we'll never be able to beat all the hell out of that lot.