Yankees: Good news and bad news from 3-2 extra-innings win over Angels

aaron judge, yankees
Apr 19, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) follows through on a two run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees were able to even this series against the Angels as Jhony Brito pitched a nice bounce-back game. They needed extra innings tonight, but fortunately, they held firm. The offense was almost entirely accounted for in the first inning before walking it off in the 10th, but it was all that was needed tonight. A 3-2 game means the bullpen needed to do their job, and they did just that. It was a good sign for the Yanks, as after last night’s loss, they needed to come back and win tonight. 

Pitching was great, albeit shaky at times:

Brito needed to prove himself tonight after his atrocious outing vs Minnesota, and he did just that. It would be nice to get more length out of him, and he wasn’t perfect, but he did the job. He tossed 4.1 innings, gave up one run, walked, struck out a trio, and threw 84 pitches. Brito still has more work to do, but he was much better tonight than he was previously. 

Michael King took over in the 5th inning and pitched all the way through the 7th. King was excellent in every sense of the word. He tossed 2.1 innings worth, struck out four guys, and only allowed three baserunners. It was easily his best outing of the season, and his season ERA decreased to 1.50. King being elite is just what this team needs. 

King left in the 7th when Ohtani came up to bat, and Wandy Peralta came in and did what he does best. Wandy would also toss the 8th inning, and he’s been excellent to start this season. He fired 1.1 innings of one-run baseball and sadly surrendered the lead. He gave up a hit, balked Renfroe over to 2nd, and then Gio Urshela hit the wildest bloop single I’ve ever seen. It was the first run Wandy has allowed this year. 

Clay Holmes came into the game in the 9th inning, and after getting two quick outs, he then fell apart at the worst time. He promptly plunked Taylor Ward, walked Ohtani on five pitches right before he managed to buckle down and get Mike Trout to strikeout on a check-swing called strike three. Holmes needs to get it together here sooner than later. 

Ian Hamilton followed him in the 10th and had a quick inning which is just what the doctor ordered. After his shoutout frame to keep the game tied, he now boasts an ERA of 1.86 this season. Hamilton deserved a bullpen spot out of spring, and now he’s showing exactly why. It was much needed for the bullpen that was stretched thin following last night’s performance by Schmidt that exhausted multiple options. 

The offense was almost entirely Aaron Judge today as he smacked a 2R homer in the first inning to give the Yanks the lead. He was also elite on the defensive side as he preserved the lead in the 8th with a diving snag and also managed to rob Shohei Ohtani of a homer in the top of the first inning. It was the Aaron Judge game, and the Yanks needed him to have a big game tonight. 

The Yankees are watching Volpe blossom:

Volpe continued to show massive signs of improvement, and tonight he was a menace on both sides of the ball. He smacked a pair of singles tonight, also worked a walk, swiped a bag, and made a few fantastic plays at shortstop. Volpe’s been really coming into his own, and he now has reached base safely in his last seven games. He’s also now second in the league with eight steals on the season, and boy, is it always a joy to watch him dance around and have the pitcher on their back foot. 

Rizzo added another knock to his season total, and he’s been off to a subtly excellent start to the season. The Yankees made the right decision to bring him back, and he’s shown such up to this point in the season. Jose Trevino also smacked a double in the 7th, and it was nice to see the bottom of the lineup at least manufacture some offense tonight. 

Oswald Peraza pinch-hit for Willie Calhoun in the 9th inning and promptly got plunked to give the Yanks a base runner to lead off the inning. After that, Oswaldo Cabrera hit into a fielder’s choice before he stole second, giving the Yanks a man in scoring position with the game on the line. After that, Boone decided to pinch-hit IKF, who promptly struck out. It was a rough inning to watch, to say the least. 

The Yanks got the job done in the 10th inning, as with bases loaded, Gleyber Torres stepped up and delivered. He was one in his last 21 before that, and a deep sac fly drove in IKF to give the Yanks the victory. It was an ugly win, but nonetheless, just a reminder to start spreading the news.  

The offense wasn’t anything too exciting tonight, but they did enough to get the job done. Tomorrow’s game is at 4:05, as Nasty Nestor takes the bump. Hopefully, we can have another nice offensive outing, as some of these games are too close for comfort. The Yankees sit at 11-7, and after tomorrow’s series finale against LA, they welcome the Blue Jays to the Bronx.