The New York Yankees have won eight consecutive games, plastering the Minnesota Twins with 10 runs on Friday evening. With Nestor Cortes Jr. starting on the mound, he lasted 7.0 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out seven batters. On the season, Cortes hosts a 2.56 ERA, displaying one of the most surprising performances of the season. The Yankees have desperately needed more starting pitching talent with several players working their way back from injury, and Cortes offered that and much more.
However, outfielder Brett Gardner picked up an elbow injury after being plunked with a pitch late in the game. While skipper Aaron Boone doesn’t believe it is anything serious, they will be cautious with a veteran.
“It stiffened up on him pretty good,†manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ll see how he’s doing overnight into the morning.â€
“Just wanted to get him out of there, get some treatment, get some ice going,†Boone said. “Hopefully it’s something that he’s back quickly.â€
Gardner has struggled this season, hitting .215, but did pick up two hits before leaving the game. Luckily, the offense was on fire. DJ LeMahieu recorded two hits, and Luke Voit contributed four. They combined for six RBIs, helping inch the Bombers closer in the AL East.
Voit, who recently demanded he stay with the top team despite the existence of Anthony Rizzo, has been on a massive hitting streak lately. Over his last seven days, Voit has 11 hits over 26 at-bats, including 11 RBIs and three homers. On the season, he’s hitting .260 with seven homers and 26 RBIs, playing in just 41 games. The reemergence of Voit has helped spark the Yankees’ offense, and he has proved his worth, which will ultimately force Boone to keep him in the lineup one way or another.
The Yankees currently sit 4.0 games back of the AL East, as they quickly gain ground on the Tampa Bay Rays. They have built a nice 1.5 game cushion in the Wild Card over the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. Tampa Bay has a tough series against the Chicago White Sox, losing their first 7–5 on Friday.