by Paul Semendinger
September 28, 2022
***
About Last Night:
They did it.
That's the story.
They did it.
The Yankees are now 95-59 on the season. They have wrapped up the American League East.
They did it. They did it even though there were tons of doubters. I was one of the doubters. Yet, the Yankees held it together, just when it almost seemed to slip away, they held it together, got hot, and won the American League Eastern Division Crown.
The Yankees did it by winning a ton at the time when it almost all seemed lost. The turning point came on September 10. On that day, a Saturday, the Yankees held a two game lead in the loss column over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees had lost the previous night to the Rays. A loss on that day would have dropped their lead to one small game...
But in that game, the Yankees banged out six runs in the first inning and went going away. They have not looked back. The Yankees from September 10 on have gone 12-3.
They have won the division. They took the first big step on their way to the World Series.
Today we celebrate the fact that the Yankees set out and accomplished the goal. They won the division. They did it.
Go Yanks! Quick Stats:
Jameson Taillon - 7.1 innings, 2 runs, 6 strikeouts, NO walks
Jameson Taillon is 14-5 on the season, 3.83
Aaron Judge - 5 Plate Appearances, 5 Full Counts, 4 Walks, 2 Runs
Gleyber Torres - 3 hits, 3 runs batted in
Kyle Higashioka - 3 hits, 2 runs
The Big Story:
The Yankees played a solid game last night. Jameson Taillon pitched brilliantly, lasting into the eighth inning. He looked terrific. Once again, he did not walk a single batter. After allowing a lead-off homer to George Springer to begin the game, he went into shutdown mode. He looked great.
The Yankees also scored often. They scored two runs in the third, one run in the fifth inning, and two more in the sixth inning. That's better. They still, though, left a bunch of men on base.
Lou Trivino came into the game in the bottom of the eighth with the typing run, in George Springer, at the plate. Trevino got Springer to ground into a double play to end the inning and the threat. Player(s) of the Game:
Jameson Taillon
Aaron Judge - 4 walks while being on the precipice of history. That says a lot
Lou Trivino for getting the Yankees out of the 8th inning jam
Gleyber Torres - hit bat has come alive!
Better to Forget:
Giancarlo Stanton - 0-for-5, 4 strikeouts
The Yankees left 10 men on base
My Take:
Today is the day to celebrate. The Yankees did what they set out to accomplish. This was the first step. They need to play well in the playoffs. Now it's just a matter of getting ready for that. The Yankees can see what they have in their relief pitchers. I hope also that Oswald Peraza gets some playing time. The pressure is off of everyone, except Aaron Judge. I hope he hits two homers tonight so he can move on from this chase.
Next Up:
The Yankees close out this quick road trip tonight in Toronto. Gerrit Cole takes the mound for the Yankees.
