After winning the first three games of a four-game set, the New York Yankees went into yesterday’s game hoping for the sweep. Unfortunately, it was not to be had as the Mariners pitchers limited the Yankee hitter to just six insignificant hits as they remained scoreless in the game. The final score was the Mariners 2, Yankees 0. With yesterday’s win by the Rays over the Orioles and the Yankees loss, they are now 6.5 games behind those Rays in the AL East.
Gil continues as Yankees best pitcher
Luis Gil is a young man who has dreamed of being a major league pitcher. But, due to the Yankee’s shortage of starting pitchers, because of injury and Covid and his own pitching prowess in the minor leagues, last week, he got his chance. Last week in his major league debut, he pitched six scoreless innings. Then, in yesterday’s matinee against the Seattle Mariners, he got his second start.
Although not as sharp as in his first start, he matched the Mariners Yusei Kikuchi with five scoreless innings. In fact, he was better than Kukuchi with fewer hits and more strikeouts. He went five giving up two hits while striking out eight Mariners. In his first two games, he has pitched 11 scoreless innings making him the best Yankees pitcher over the span. In the process, he became the Yankee’s first pitcher to do that since “Slow Joe†(Judd Bruce Doyle) in 1947.
Yankees struggle with men on base
Even though the New York Yankees have played good baseball during the last few weeks, one remainder of the first has continued to raise its ugly head. The Yankees are leaving men stranded, denying them of scoring more runs. In yesterday’s shutout by the Mariners, the Yankees went 0 for 11 with men in scoring position.
Only Gleyber Torres got an extra-base hit, a double. Torres also stole his12th base of the season; he also went 3 for 4, being the Yankee’s best player of the day. Other less desirable stats include Aaron Judge, the returning Luke Voit, and Kyle Higashioka, all going 0 for 4.
If there is a single reason the Yankees don’t get a postseason berth, it will be that they don’t lift the ball out of the infield. This causes them to lead baseball hitting into the most double plays. It also causes them to hit the second-fewest extra-base hits.
Severino is perfect in rehab start
It’s no secret that the Yankees have been playing great ball, even missing several key players and pitchers. But help is on the way. General Manager Brian Cashman stated that Corey Kluber and Luis Severino would be back into the fold sometime between August 20 and September 1st.
Yesterday with the Somerset Patriots, Luis Severino came one step closer to that return. On Sunday evening, he pitched four flawless frames for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, retiring all 12 batters he faced in order. As a result, the game ended up a no-hitter for the Patriots. However, a walk in the ninth inning prevented it from being a perfect game. Nevertheless, it was the first no-hitter in the Patriot’s history. Severino threw 48 pitches in four innings for the combined no-hitter.