The New York Yankees entered the first game of a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium last night with the hope of righting the ship and starting a new winning streak after losing their last two with Oakland. It marked the return to the mound of Corey Kluber after not pitching for three months due to shoulder issues. Kluber faced the Angel’s, Mike Mayers.
The Yankees got off to a great start in the first inning scoring two runs to give Corey Kluber the lead in the game. First, Anthony Rizzo doubled with LeMahieu on base, driving in LeMahieu for the Yankee’s one-run lead in the game. Next, Giancarlo Stanton ground into a double play, but Rizzo scored on the play to give the Yankees the two-run lead in the game.
Gio Urshela started the second inning by striking out. After that, the rest of the second for the Yankees was scoreless. Then, Jo Adell led off the bottom by flying out. Then, Brandon Marsh hit it hard but to Gallo in left. Then, Max Stassi struck out for a quick inning for Corey Kluber.
Sam Selman took over the pitching in the third, facing Andrew Velazquez to struck out. LeMahieu ground out to second base. Anthony Rizzo struck out swinging to end the half. Jack Mayfield led off the bottom of the inning by struck out swinging. Lagares flew out to center field. Fletcher was called out on strikes to end the inning. New York Yankees 2 Angels 0.
Andrew Wantz came in in the fourth to face Aaron Judge, who went down swinging. Giancarlo Stanton struck out swinging. Joey Gallo walked for his 98th walk of the year. Gio Urshela, who ground out to short in the second, ground out to second to end the half. At the bottom, Ohtani struck out looking on Kluber’s 41st pitch of the game. Gosselin got a hit to center for Kluber’s first hit of the game. Walsh singled to center, moving Gosselin to third base. Adell singled to left, and the Angels got on board, scoring Gosselin. Marsh flew out to Gardner with both runners advancing. Stassi walked to load the bases. Mayfield got a Grand Slam to put the Angels up by 3 runs. Lagares got a base hit to right field. Fletcher flew out to Judge in right to end the inning that saw the Angels make adjustments and score 5 runs off of Corey Kluber. Los Angeles Angels 5 New York Yankees 2.
The fifth inning was led off by Sanchez, who flew out to left. Gardner walked. With Velazquez at the plate pitcher, Jose Quijada fell, causing a balk and moving Gardner to second. Velazquez went down swinging. LeMahieu singled to right, scoring Gardner from second. Rizzo doubled, moving LeMahieu to third base. Judge faced the new pitcher Steve Cishek with two on and two outs and singled, driving in LeMahieu, drawing the Yankees within one. Rizzo moved to third on the play. Stanton got an RBI single to left, tying the game up at 5 apiece. Gallo, with two outs and men on the corners, struck out to end the inning, but the Yankees came all the way back from a disastrous fourth inning to tie the game. New York Yankees 5 Angels 5.
At the bottom of the fifth inning, Shohei Ohtani led off against Andrew Heaney, making his first relief appearance since 2014 by homering to right. It was Ohtani’s 42nd homer of the season. Gosselin flew out to Judge in right-center. Walsh struck out swinging. Adell also went down swinging to end the inning. Los Angeles Angels 6 Yankees 5.
The sixth inning was led off by Urshela, who ground out to second, knocking pitcher Cishek off the mound. Sanchez flew out to left field. Gardner worked another walk. Velazquez singled to left to moving Gardner to second. LeMahieu, with two on and two outs, tapped to short to end the half and leave two Yankees on base. At the bottom, Brandon Marsh led off by grounding out to Velazquez at short. Stassi hit a double to left. Mayfield popped out to Urshela at third. Lagares tripled off the right-field wall scoring Stassi. Fletcher flew out to Gallo in left to end the inning. Los Angeles Angels 7 Yankees 5.
Anthony Rizzo led off the seventh inning by walking. Judge went down swinging. Stanton hit a 457′ home run to center field to tie the game up at 7. Gallo struck out. Urshela struck out to end the half, but the Yankees tied the game. At the bottom, Ohtani faced new Yankee pitcher Wandy Peralta and struck out looking. Gosselin walked on four pitches. Walsh struck out for the second out of the half. Adell ground out to Velazquez at short to end the inning. New York Yankees 7 Angels 7.
Gary Sanchez led the eighth inning, who lined out of the first pitch to left. Gardner hit back to the pitcher for the second out. Luke Voit came in to pinch hit for Velazquez; he went down looking for the final out. Marsh led off the bottom by getting a single to right. Stassi faced the new Yankee pitcher Clay Holmes and chopped out to short moving Marsh to second. Mayfield ground out to short moving Marsh to third base. Lagares was called out at second on the hit, but Marsh scored, giving the Angels the one-run lead. Angels 8 Yankees 7.
The New York Yankees with the last licks on the line, DJ LeMahieu, led off by striking out swinging. Anthony Rizzo ground out to first. Aaron Judge struck out swinging to end the game. The final score was the Los Angeles Angels 8 the New York Yankees 7. The winning pitcher was Junior Guerra, the loser Wandy Peralta and the save went to Raisel Iglesias.