Yankees take 2 of 3 from White Sox and 9 of the past 10
Two nights ago the Chicago White Sox snapped the New York Yankees’ eight-game wining streak with a 4–1 victory on Bronx turf. Last night, during the series finale, the Yankees were on a mission to prove their recent success was no fluke.
The Bronx Bombers came scalding hot right out of the oven. Outfielder Brett Gardner ignited his Gardy Party by leading off the bottom of the first with a triple. He was quickly escorted home by Chase Headley’s third home run of the season when he drilled a 1–1 pitch off Dylan Covey (0–1) to centerfield to jumpstart the Yankees’ lead. The 32 year old third baseman Headley (who was batting second for the first time this season) has pleasantly surprised the Yankees with his .409 batting average and three stolen bases entering tonight’s contest. After a two run second for the Pinstripes, the Yankees went quiet for the following two innings and waited to start the real party in the fifth.
Up 4–1 in the bottom of the fifth, second baseman Starlin Castro came up to the plate with two men on and worked a 3–0 pitch count. Generally, hitters do not swing in such situations. However, Castro had the green light and did not screw up this opportunity. His three run home run to left-center field drove in outfielders Matt Holliday and Jacoby Ellsbury to extend the lead to 7–1. A six-run lead that lasted exactly one batter.
The next batter, Aaron Judge, sent a moonshot to deep left field. The rocket was so loud and boisterous, it commanded the attention of everyone in the stadium. “I was serving a customer a hot dog when all of a sudden, ‘WHAPP’, without looking up, I knew it was Judge.” Daniel Vogel, a worker at the Yankees Stadium Kosher stand said. The 448-foot bomb was the longest hit of the 24-year old’s career.
Three innings later Aaron Hicks, another pleasant surprise for the Yankees, put the final nail in the coffin with his pinch hit home run off Michael Ynoa. Hicks fourth long ball of this long season stretched the Yankees’ lead to 9–1 . Last season the switch hitter posted an ugly .217 batting average with only eight home runs and 31 RBI’s. Hitherto, Hicks is batting .269 with four home runs and nine RBI’s. A significant improvement for the 27 year old.
Former broadcaster for YES, Ken Singleton, used to say “everybody got into the party” when every batter in the lineup registered a hit. Everybody got into the Pinstriped-themed party last night when the Yankees tallied 11 hits. As much as the offensive side contributed to the Yankees’ series clinching win, their pitching was equally integral. Masahiro Tanaka (2–1) pitched seven strong innings and allowed just one run, a RBI double by first baseman Jose Abreu. In the seventh inning, Tanaka capped off his performance by striking out second baseman Tyler Saladino with his 96th, and last pitch, of his outing.
In the next frame, manager Joe Girardi brought in relief pitcher Brian Mitchell. Mitchell was celebrating his 26th birthday boy, and what better way to celebrate than pitching a 1–2–3 inning? Reliever Tommy Lane closed out the 9th to secure the Yankees’ 10th win this season. Another huge sign of improvement for the Yankees.
How much have the Yanks improved since last season? The 2016 Yankees did not register their 10th victory until May 6th.
Their 9–1 is their best ten game stretch since 2009: the year they won their 27th World Series championship.
