The New York Yankees entered the series with the Philadelphia Phillies last night with a rag-tag team with a higher positivity rate than any time in the season after winning a series against the Boston Red Sox. Even with their beleaguered team with several players on the IL, they were hoping to take their second series in a row. With decent pitching and multiple home runs, the Yankees won the game 6-4 for their third win in a row.
Yankee pitching improves
Right-hander Domingo German was on the mound for the New York Yankees. German could have been lights out, but also could have struggled mightily. He was 4-5 with an ERA of 4.72. In his last outing against the Red Sox, he lasted only 1 inning using 17 pitches before being removed. The Yankees had lost seven of his last ten starts. Last night was considerably better. He went four innings, giving up just two earned runs, but striking out five.
Luckily the Yankee bullpen came to the rescue. Luis Cessa, Lucas Luetge, and Chad Green combined for three scoreless innings. However, returning Zack Britton still showed some rust after not pitching in almost two months; he gave up a homer. Likewise, closer Aroldis Chapman, who has been pitching poorly of late, gave up a homer in the ninth inning, but it was no harm by entering with a three-run lead. Striking out 3 Phillies and allowing just the home run was an encouraging sign for the Yankees.
Yankee power explodes late in the game
A lack of hitting has dogged the New York Yankees all season long. However, last night that seemed to be far in the past as the players; some not from the regular lineup, exploded with four home runs in the game. Veteran Brett Gardner led off the barrage in the fifth inning with his homer off Phillies starter Aaron Nola. In the following inning, Gary Sanchez hit one of his own, knocking Nola out of the game. Then in the seventh slugger, Giancarlo Stanton hit his 16th homer of the season. But the Yankees weren’t done; Estevan Florial, a center field fill-in, slammed another home run in the eighth. Every Yankee got at least one hit in the game with the exception of Tyler Wade who went 0 for 4.
It should be noted that the powerful explosion overshadowed three facts. First, Greg Allen got another hit and scored twice. Second, Estevan Florial went 1 for 3 driving in two runs. Both of these players are fill-ins. Also, being short players, the Yankees had to use catcher Rob Brantly at first base. He, too, got a hit in the game. All, however, was not good; although the home run saved the Yankees, they went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position, another issue that has plagued the Yankees.
Yankee fans behaving badly
New York Yankee fans have been making news of late, not for their excitement for the Yankees, but their bad behavior at the Stadium in the Bronx. In the last game against the Red Sox fan threw a ball, hitting the back of Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo, halting the game for a time. That fan has since been banned from attending any Major League game for the rest of his life. On the same night, the wife of former Red Sox catcher and current assistant coach Jason Varitek reported that their 9-year-old daughter was spat upon when leaving the Stadium.
Last night was another night of bad behavior as a fan ran onto the field in the sixth inning, halting the game momentarily. A chase ensued when the fan was tackled and crushed to the ground. He was escorted out of the stadium by security guards and New York Police. New York Yankee management has strongly condemned these shenanigans, saying that there is no place for these actions at Yankee Stadium.
Notes: Tonight is the last game of the Phillies series; either team has not released starting pitchers for the game as of this writing.