New York Yankees Recap: Yankees win a gutsy Cy Young game in the eleventh inning

New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres
Feb 23, 2019; Fort Myers, FL, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) stands in the dugout prior to the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Today at the Stadium, the New York Yankees met up with the Washington Nations for game two of a three-game set. The game was delayed, but two and a half-hour rain delay. The game featured 3 time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer against 2 times Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber for the New York Yankees. The Nationals won last night’s game 11-4.

With Kluber on the mound to start the first, he faced Trea Turner, who on his first swing of the bat broke his bat, and the majority of it flew into the Nats dugout; no one was hurt. He ended up hitting right back at Kluber for the out. Josh Harrison struck out looking, and Soto bounced one to Kluber for the final out of a 1-2-3 inning for Kluber. At the bottom, with Max Scherzer on the mound, he faced DJ LeMahieu flew out to right. After having his 12 game hitting streak snapped yesterday, Giancarlo Stanton struck out at his first at-bat. Aaron Judge struck out for a fast inning for both pitchers.

At the top of the second, Ryan Zimmerman hit a single just off the glove of Gleyber Torres. Josh Bell struck out. Kyle Schwarber hit into a double play to end the half. At the bottom, Gleyber Torres faced Scherzer and struck out. Brett Gardner struck out. Clint Frazier struck out after battling; that was 5 strikeouts in a row for Scherzer.

Starlin Castro led off the third by lining out to LeMahieu. Alex Avila singled to right-center. Victor Robles singled when no Yankee was covering first base. Turner, with two on and one out, singled to right to load the bases. Harrison gound to third. DJ threw home Avila out at home. Soto walked, driving in a run. Zimmerman ground out to Torres, but Kluber got away with giving up just one run, leaving the bases loaded with Nats. At the bottom, Ford stuck out for the sixth strikeout in a row. Higashioka homered to left to tie the game at 1. Wade lined out to left. LeMahieu singled up the middle. Stanton struck out. New York Yankees 1 Nationals 1.

Bell led off the fourth by striking out. Schwarber struck out. Castro walked. Avila walked. Robles went down looking for a no-contact inning. Three strikeouts and two walks. At the bottom of the inning, Aaron Judge led off by striking out. Judge was 1 for 22 with 14 strikeouts. Torres struck out for Scherzer that was 9 strikeouts. Gardner struck out and went down in order. Yankees 1 Nats 1.

Turner at the top of the fifth inning by flying out to Judge. Harrison flew out to left. Soto popped out to Frazier for a quick 1-2-3 inning for Kluber. Frazier started the bottom of the fifth by grounding out to short. Ford flew out to left field. Higashioka struck out for Scherzer’s 11th strikeout of the game. Scored tied at 1.

Zimmerman at the top of the sixth flew out to Brett Gardner. Bell struck out. Schwarber doubled to right. Castro drove in Schwarber with a single. Avila facing Chad Green replacing Kluber struck out Avila, but the Nationals took the lead. At the bottom, Wade ground out to right. LeMahieu struck out swinging. Stanton popped out to the infield to end the inning. Nationals 2 Yankees 1.

Victor Robles led off the seventh by singling to Gardner. Turner hit into a double play. Harrison was called out on strikes to end the half. With Scherzer with 84 pitches was still on the mound. Aaron Judge led off the bottom by grounding out to short. Torres struck out swinging. Gardner struck out for Scherzer’s 14th strikeout, the most ever in the new Yankee Stadium. Nats 2 Yanks 1.

With Lucas Luetge on the mound for the New York Yankees, he lined out Soto. Zimmerman stuck out. Bell flew out to Judge for a perfect 1-2-3 inning for Luetge. At the bottom, Frazier faced Scherzer, and he walked for the first Scherzer walk of the game. Ford flew out to Soto. Daniel Hudson came in to face Higashioka, who went down looking. The Yankees pitch hit Wade with Miguel Andujar, who ground out to second. Nats 2 Yankees 1.

With Luetge still on the mound, Shwarber ground out. Castro lined out to Torres. Avila struck out for six up and six down for Luetge. With the Nationals closer Brad Hand on the mound, DJ LeMahieu took to the plate and walked. Stanton, with the crowd chanting MVP, ground out to third. Aaron Judge, with last licks for the Yankees, singled with DJ going to third. Torres had an RBI single driving in LeMahieu to tie the game. Aaron Hicks struck out. Clint Frazier lined out to second, but the Yankees tied up the game.  Scored tied at 2.

Robles up at the top of the tenth, with Stevenson as the ghost running and Aroldis Chapman on the mound, got a base hit, Stevenson moved to third base. Turner had a sac fly as Stevenson beat out a throw by Judge for the Nationals lead. Turner stole second. Harrison went down on strikes. Chapman walked Soto to face Zimmerman, who struck out to end the half with the Nationals leading 3-2. At the bottom and Clint Frazier as the ghost runner at second, Mike Ford had a sac hit to bring Frazier to tie the game up at 3 apiece. Kyle Finnegan came in to face Kyle Higashioka, who singled into the force at second for the first out of Mike Ford. Andujar popped out to short for the second out. DJ LeMahieu struck out swinging, but the New York Yankees tied it up at 3 apiece.

At the top of the eleventh, Justin Wilson pitched the ninth with Zimmerman on second. Wilson faced Josh Bell, who struck out. Schwarber flew out to Hicks for the second out. Castro went down looking. At the bottom, with DJ LeMahieu as the ghost runner, Stanton took to the plate, and with Tanner Rainy on the mound, Stanton walked. Judge walked to load the bases with no outs. Gleyber Torres had an infield single to have the walk-off win. Two Cy Young Award winners were not involved in the win. The winning pitcher was Justin Wilson, and the loser was Tanner Rainy. The final score was New York Yankees 4 and the Nationals 3.