The New York Yankees won their 9th game in a row yesterday and their 8th series in a row. The final score was the New York Yankees 7 and the Minnesota Twins 1. The Tampa Bay Rays also won their game yesterday, so the Yankees did not advance in the AL, still being 4 games out of first place. The Red Sox lost their game, so the Yankees are now 2.5 games ahead of the Sox and have a stronghold on the first wild card slot.
This is a very different team that is winning games for the Yankees than before the All-Star break. Earlier than they seemed to be a team that was going through the motions and were 10 1/2 games out of first place in the East. Since then, they have picked up a few players at the trade deadline. They are playing like a team with a mission. That mission is to win the AL East.
They are playing with a spark that has seen key players come up from the minors and where new additions are making a difference. They have not only gone 25-8, being the winningest team in the sport but are playing better defense. Before the All-star break, they had 20 stolen bases over 92 games. Since then, they have had 30 stolen bases leading all of baseball.
Gerrit Cole gets his 12th win of the season
Yesterday was Gerrit Cole’s second start since coming off the Covid list. Apparently, he still has some rust, struggling at times, but he made the pitches he needed to get the win. He went 6 innings while getting six strikeouts while scattering only five hits and allowing no runs.
Bullpen gets the job done
After Gerrit Cole pitched six scoreless innings, Lucas Luetge came in and pitched the seventh and eighth allow just one hit, a homer to second baseman Jorge Polanco. Then, in the merry-go-round closer situation, manager Boone sent Albert Abreu to close out the game. Abreu allowed no hits while striking out one Twin. All tolled the Yankee pitchers only allowed 6 Twins hits.
Dreamer Andrew Velazquez gets his first Major League home run
Since being called up, every game has been a dream realized for shortstop Andrew Velazquez who, being a Bronx boy, always dreamed of being a Yankee. Since being brought up with his timely hitting and excellent defense of his position, he has added a spark to the team. But yesterday, he topped it all, getting his first career major league home run. The Yankees secured the ball for him. To add to his delight, his emotional family was in the stands to see his feat.
Velazquez got the only Yankee home run in the game yesterday, but Giancarlo Stanton, Luke Voit, and Tyler Wade all got extra-base hits in the winning effort.
Note: Hurricane Henri has forced the postponement of today’s Yankee game, the final of the four-game set at the Stadium. It will be made up on September 13th.