The New York Yankees were in Toronto, Canada, last night for the first game of three against the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series that may decide if they go to the postseason or not. The Yankees miraculously swept the Red Sox in a three-game series with their rival. The Yankees have won their lasts six games in a row. Coincidentally ever since Nestor Cortes Jr. bought the Yankees a pet turtle that they named “Bonxie†the Yankees have won. Bronxie or more likely Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela led the Yankees to their seventh win in a row. The score was the Yankees 7 and the Blue Jays 2.
Bad luck for Taillon, but Michael King picks him up
Jameson Taillon has been rehabbing from a strained tendon in his ankle for 22 days missing four of his normal starts. The ankle problem affected his delivery and ability to pitch effectively. But last night, he made his return off the IL to pitch game one of a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays in this crucial run for the postseason. Unfortunately, things didn’t go well for the righty. At the bottom of the third inning, Danny Jansen struck out looking. But after that out, Taillon signaled the medical staff and left the game apparently with another ankle problem. Michael King came into the game to replace him.
So far this morning, the status of that injury is unknown, other than they know he reinjured it. It’s a bad break for Taillon because this late in the season, it has probably ended his pitching for the rest of the season, and should the Yankees reach the postseason. Taillon had so been looking forward to pitching in the postseason.
The Yankee bullpen is stellar
When Jameson Taillon left the game, apparently reinjuring his ankle Michael King was called in to replace him. King pitched the end of the third inning, the fourth and fifth allowing only an additional run. Clay Holmes, Chad Green, and Luis Severino combined for three scoreless innings. At the bottom of the ninth inning, in a non save situation, Wandy Peralta came in to close out the win.
At this point in the season, the New York Yankees need the bullpen to be good if they hope to play in the postseason. The bullpen was stellar, giving up just one run in 6.1 innings. Most encouraging was the close by Peralta. Also, it seems that in recent games, when Chapman pitched, his confidence seemed to be back, and his dominance resurrected. Yankee pitching only allowed 3 hits in the game.
Is there any stopping Giancarlo Stanton?
Obviously, Giancarlo Stanton will not keep hitting a home run in every game, but his August and September had been nothing short of amazing. His recent run can only be described as both shocking and fantastic. Stanton has now hit a home run in every one of his last four games in a row. That has seldom been done in baseball. The only Yankees to hit four or more home runs in consecutive games are Babe Ruth (1930), Lou Gehrig (1931) Joe DiMaggio (1937), Yogi Berra (1956), Roger Maris (1961), Don Mattingly (1987), and Alex Rodriguez (2007). That is some Yankee royalty to join and Stanton may not be done; he hit 6 straight in 2017 with the Marlins.
In the top of the fifth inning, Anthony Rizzo put the New York Yankees ahead 3-2 with a single driving in Gio Urshela; it would be a lead that the Yankees would not relinquish. Then in the top of the seventh, Giancarlo Stanton came to the plate with two on and crushed one into the second deck of left field at Roger’s Center. It was his fourth homer in four games for Stanton, making him hitting .500, 8 for 16 with 13 RBIs over the span. Stanton also doubled in the game.
Aaron Judge in the third inning also homered for his 37th of the season. When both Judge and Stanton homer in the same game, the Yankees are 17-1. Gio Urshela tacked on a homer of his own at the top of the ninth.
The Yankees advance in the wild card race
With the Yankee win, the Red Sox loss last night, the Yankees are now two games ahead of the Red Sox for the coveted home-field advantage in the one-game winner takes all contest. But there is a new wrinkle to be considered. Well, not really I have been reporting on it for the last ten days. The Seattle Mariners have been creeping up in the standings. With their win last night, they are now just a half-game behind the Boston Red Sox.
While the Red Sox have gone 6-4 in their last ten games, the Mariners have gone 9-1. The Yankees in the same period have gone 8-2 and have won their last seven in a row. With the loss last night, the Toronto Blue Jays are now one half-game behind the Mariners, with two more games against the Yankees.
Notes: Tonight, Yankee ace Gerrit Cole looking for his 17th win of the season, will face Jose Berrios in game two of the Toronto series. Corey Kluber will face Toronto co-ace Robbie Ray in the finale. Tonight’s game will be televised on SNET in Canada, WPIX and its affiliates in the New York area, and ESPN out of market only.