New York Yankees: Cole goes ballistic, all you need to know about 2nd shutout of the Astros

Last night the New York Yankees were hoping to take the series from the Astros; they did it in style with their second shutout of their most hated team. So today, they will go for the sweep of the series.

Gerrit Cole makes a statement

Those critics who said that Gerrit Cole was just an average pitcher without the use of sticky stuff were proven wrong. Cole intentionally or not made a statement last night pitching a complete game shutout of his old team. Cole threw a career-high 129 pitches, refusing to leave the mound.

During the top of the ninth inning, cameras zoned on on Aroldis Chapman warming up in the bullpen. With the Yankees only having a one-run lead, the drama was set up as to who would pitch the ninth. Whoever was to take the mound, they would have to face Jose Altuve. Chapman’s history with Altuve is a nightmare. Cole apparently told Boone he was good to go, and he took the mound in the ninth.

After eight innings, Cole had racked up 11 strikeouts allowing only two Astro hits. In the ninth, Cole allowed a single to Jose Altuve, causing Aaron Boone with two outs, to walk to the mound to remove Cole from the game. Unfortunately, Boone wasn’t aware of what he was walking into. Cole was white-hot, not having any part of leaving the game. After the game, Cole said this of the mound visit: “I said the F-word a lot, and then I just kind of blacked out. I don’t remember what I told him.”

With Alvarez at the plate, he had no shot as Cole fanned him for his twelfth strikeout of the game. Cole’s night was over game over a complete-game shutout of the Houston Astros. It was a game that will go down in Yankee lore.

It was the first time the Yankees had a complete game shutout with twelve strikeouts since Mike Mussina did it in 2002.

Cole won the game the Yankees didn’t hit

Last night’s big story was obviously Gerrit Cole, his 12 strikeouts, his 129 pitches, and his shutout of the Astros. But lurking in the background was a season-long lack of hitting by the New York Yankees. Yes, the Yankees won it, but could only come up with one run on the night, Aaron Judge’s homer in the third, off starter Zack Greinke who lasted four innings in the game.

Other than Judge’s home run, the Yankees could only come up with another 5 hits. All singles except for Gleyber Torres’ double. They went 0-5 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven Yankees stranded as they continued a lack of timely hitting.

Astros’ Dusty Baker praises Cole

We all know that there is no love lost between the Yankees and the Astros after the cheating scandal was revealed from the 2017 season. Many fans believe they cheated again in 2019, although that has not been proved. No Astro player was held responsible, although the manager and general manager were fired. The Astros replaced manager Hinch with one of the most respected names in baseball, Dusty Baker. Baker, the class act he is, had this to say after last night’s game.

“He was good. He was very good..Similar to Tom Seaver.”

Today at 2:10 pm, the New York Yankees will go for the sweep of the Houston Astros. The Yankees are 3 for 8 in sweep attempts. Sunday’s Matinee will feature the Astros Framber Valdez, a lefty that is 5-1 with an ERA of 2.86, against the Yankees’ Jameson Taillon with is 4-4 with an ERA of 5.05. Taillon is coming off his best start of the season against the Seattle Mariners; Taillon went eight innings giving up just one run in the Yankee’s 12-1 victory. Valdez is coming off two wins, one against Cleveland and one against the Athletics. He gave up five earned runs in the Oakland victory. The only Yankees with extensive experience with Valdez is Rougie Odor, who in 5 at-bats hit .400 off of him. Sunday’s game will be televised on WPIX and its affiliates, ATTSportsNet, and nationally on TBS.