The New York Yankees that looked so lowly just a few weeks ago are getting on a roll and are just 2 games out of first place in the AL East. Last night at Orioles Park at Camden Yards, the Yankees won their seventh series in a row. After a slow start to the season that had to rely on good pitching, the hitters are finally starting to get hot, but now that might be jeopardized by injuries. The Yankees won over the Orioles last night 8-2.
Domingo German was dominant
During the first weeks of the season, the Yankees could only count on ace Gerrit Cole as the team fell to the bottom of the AL East. More recently, the rust has shook off, and the pitching has been better. No more obvious is it than the pitching of Domingo German.
Last night in his sixth start of the season, he was dominant in six innings of work. He gave up just one run while striking out and walking two. He lowered his ERA to 3.62. The New York Yankees have now won the last 5 of German’s starts. His confidence seems to be building. In 2019 German was 18-4 in a 20 game shortened season.
Yankees finally start hitting
Last night the Yankees had their second-largest number of hits in a game this year. Going into the double digits in hits often results in winning a game. The Yankee did that with 13 hits with the 8-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
As I have said many times, everybody doesn’t need to be hot simultaneously, but if a few hitters in the lineup are hot, it spells well for a win. Over the last several games, it’s been just that, a few hitters being hot at the same time. And for the Yankees, it hasn’t been the same ones night after night. Aaron Judge hit two homers on Thursday and another last night. Before that, Giancarlo Stanton and Gio Urshela were some of the Yankee’s most consistent hitters.
Last night it wasn’t just one or two hitters; every Yankee hitter got a hit last night except for Clint Frazier, who has had a dismal start to his season. If the New York Yankee hitters continue at this pace they will win many games this season.
Are the Yankees in jeopardy?
The Yankees have been far luckier this season with injuries than in the last two seasons. But now, for the first time this season, they are faced with injuries to the starting lineup. First, it was the loss of Gleyber Torres to the coronavirus, then centerfielder Aaron Hicks with a torn tendon in his wrist that could potentially keep him out of the lineup for some time. Then almost at the same time, the Yankee’s most successful hitter Giancarlo Stanton injured his left quad, which at the least will keep out of several games.
All three of these players were out of the lineup last night. Luckily for the Yankees, Aaron Judge stepped up with his 11th home run of the season, and both Luke Voit and Gary Sanchez drove in 2 runs apiece.