The New York Yankees went into last night’s finale with the Boston Red Sox with a ten-game winning streak that came to an end last night, when two rookie pitchers faced each other at Fenway Park. The Yankees have had an up and down season this year. They started with an 8-1 streak, then lost 15 of the next 20 games. Then they got hot again, and won ten straight. Last night four Red Sox pitchers limited the Yankees to just three hits.
The Red Sox Tanner Houck, in his second start in the major leagues, held the Yankees to just one hit over six innings, allowing three walks and striking out four. The Yankees Deivi Garcia took the mound for his fifth start in his young career. From the beginning, it was apparent that Garcia didn’t have it. All of his pitches were off, and the Red Sox took advantage over it. If it was any other park, he might have held down the Sox, but the Sox took advance of the “Green Monster,” scoring doubles that might have been caught in a different venue.
Garcia, who was coming off two wins, lasted only three innings, giving up 8 hits and two homers. Meanwhile, Tanner Houch was holding the Yankees down, he pitched a brilliant six innings. Luis Cessa came in relief of Garcia and pitch two scoreless innings. Jonathan Holder, who is usually dependable, gave up another three runs to the Red Sox in two innings, without striking out a single Red Sox hitter. At this point the Red Sox were so far ahead (9-1) New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone sent catcher Erik Kratz out to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning, he gave up an additonal run for the Red Sox 10-2 win, and the end of the Yankees winning streak.
The winning pitcher was Tanner Houch and the loser was Deivi Garcia. To be fair the Yankees had a bit of bad luck in the game. They did hit the ball, but every time they did, they hit it to a Sox player. Also the Red Sox had some very good defensive plays, keeping the Yankees off the bases. As a side note, Gary Sanchez was hit in the neck, that caused him to bleed, but after some care from the Yankee trainer, remained in the game.
There were a few positives, the Yankees did take the series from the Red Sox, winning two of the three games. Luke Voit hit his 21st home run in the game, leading all of baseball. Today the Yankees start a four game series against the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo. After that series they will come back to the Stadium in the Bronx for a three game set against Derek Jeter’s Miami Marlins, to end the season.
The New York Yankees entered the game last night with the magic number being just one. They couldn’t do it on their own, but with the Seattle loss yesterday, the Yankees officially clinched their 22nd playoff berth in the past 26 seasons. They are the fifth American League team to clinch a spot in the 2020 postseason.