By Derek McAdam
June 22, 2023
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The New York Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners last night by a 4-2 score, securing their first series victory since June 2-4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the win, the Yankees improve to 41-33 on the season.
Quick Stats:
W: Jhony Brito (4-3): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K
L: Luis Castillo (4-6): 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
S: Tommy Kahnle (1): 0.2 IP, 1 K
Big Story:
After taking Tuesday night’s game by a 3-1 score, the Yankees came into last night’s game looking to take the series, although they were facing a pitcher that gave them plenty of trouble last season. The Yankees needed a starter to give the rest of the rotation an extra day off, so they called Jhony Brito up from Triple-A to make the start.
Jake Bauers kicked things off with a two-run home run in the 3rd to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. In the following inning, Billy McKinney hit another no-doubter home run to right field to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead.
Brito gave the Yankees exactly what they needed with his start. He wasn’t striking out batters at a high rate, but he was keeping the Mariners off the bases and getting routine ground balls and pop flies to the outfield. Brito will likely be sent down after this start, but this was a great look for the youngster.
Anthony Volpe hit a solo home run in the 7th to give the Yankees an extended 4-0 lead. It was his 10th home run of the year, and a much-needed run not only for the young shortstop, but also for the Yankees.
Dylan Moore got the Mariners on the board with a solo home run in the 8th off Wandy Peralta, which was his first hit of the season. The Mariners brought the tying run to the plate in the 9th after Michael King walked Julio Rodriguez and Ty France hit an infield single. Teoscar Hernandez flew out to center field, and just missed the game-tying home run. Kahnle was brought in to close things out, but Jarred Kelenic drove in Rodriguez on a sacrifice fly. Kahnle then struck Eugenio Suarez out on three pitches, giving the Yankees the 4-2 win.
Player of the Game:
There are several guys that may deserve this honor, but I have to give it to Brito. He delivered an absolutely brilliant performance for the Yankees, and kept them in the game. He received a standing ovation when he left the game in the 6th, and rightfully so.
Notable Performances:
McKinney continues to hit well for the Yankees. He already seems to be taking full advantage of the short porch in right field. He could end up being the full-time Yankees’ starting left fielder if he keeps it up. Bauers also delivered a huge hit for the Yankees.
One player that is not getting enough credit is Kahnle. He has yet to allow an earned run this season, and has been the best Yankee pitcher since the Yankees activated him before the series against the Dodgers. Great for him, and it’s great to see him back in pinstripes.
Better to Forget:
Josh Donaldson just continues to struggle at the plate. He reached base in the 8th, but only because of an E4 that would have resulted in a double play.
My Take:
Even though the Yankee offense has still not fully come alive, they’re winning games, which is all that matters. Pitching has been fantastic through the first two games, especially from the starters. McKinney continues to hit well for the Yankees and has been a nice addition to the bottom of the lineup.
Volpe also had a nice game last night, especially at the plate, although he was very active in the field. Volpe’s first at-bat resulted in a walk, in which he battled Castillo from down in the count to then get on base. Bauers then hit a soaring home run that scored Volpe. His home run had to have been a big confidence boost to the young shortstop, but I think much of Volpe’s confidence is coming from the encouraging words from Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman. It must’ve felt good to hear both publicly speak about how he won’t be sent down to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre any time soon. Hopefully, he can just continue to have productive at-bats.
The Yankees also needed a series win, as they had failed to do so in their previous four attempts, all against sub-.500 teams. Seattle is also a sub-.500 team, but the Yankees needed any sort of series victory. Not only that, but they have the opportunity tonight to go for the series sweep. Let’s see if they can do that.
What’s Next?:
The Yankees will finish their series against the Mariners tonight, with the game scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. EST. Domingo German is scheduled to start for the Yankees, while Bryan Woo is projected to start for the Mariners.
