Yankees Power Their Way to Win 102; Keep Home Field Prays Alive
Sometimes, days just feel right. Even though I’m back at college in Pennsylvania, it seems as though this weekend, across the Mid-Atlantic, was the last attempt of summer before the cold mornings and nights of autumn begin again.
Regardless, this was a fantastic weekend that cumulated in a great final home game for the 2019 Yankees. A perfect sunny, 84-degree day with a 9 mph wind to center field. Oh, and an 8-3 Win by the Bronx Bombers, who have continued to live up to their nickname this season.
And that is also without mentioning the pre-game ceremony for current Yankee and future hall-of-fame left-handed pitcher, CC Sabathia. The videos from the event will make you cry.
So, now with wet eyes, and a lack of Yankee Stadium baseball until October, let’s get to the recap!
Game #157
Wilmer Font (4.50 ERA) vs. Luis Severino (0.00 ERA)
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images
As One Ace Goes, The Next Returns:
Honestly, if one thing can be said about this 2019 Yankees team, it is that they have continued to have somebody else willing to take the reigns when necessary to keep the wins coming. Usually this has been due to injury, but in this case, both players I will be mentioning were already on the September roster. Instead, this is more of a sentimental thing.
As referenced before, this was both the last regular-season home game for our 2019 Yankees, and they took about 30 minutes ahead of the game to honor previous ace-of-the-staff, CC Sabathia. As I am too young (or not even born yet) to remember the Yankees of the late-1990’s and early 2000s, my only experience with the Yankees being on top of the baseball world was largely due to the big man, CC Sabathia in 2009.
Honestly, I can see him doing great things in the postseason. His last shot at another championship I could see the mystical powers of baseball bringing him a dominant performance in a key spot out of the bullpen. (To be fair, the skeptic in me can also see this not happening at all.)
Regardless, CC (and Brett Gardner) are the only two left from that great 2009 team, and I’ll definitely miss seeing the big man on the mound in pinstripes.Embed from Getty Images
Now that CC’s career is headed to its last postseason, the Yankees newest ace, Luis Severino took the mound in his second game and the final home game of the 2019 season.
Severino has been fantastic so far, pitching yesterday to his first win of the season with a great 5 inning performance with 9 strikeouts while only allowing 3 hits. Over his two starts this year, Severino has now pitched to the following (combined) line:
9.0 IP, 0 Runs, 5 Hits, 2 Walks, and 13 Strikeouts, with a 1-0 Record
He also was able to get to 80 pitches in yesterdays game, of which 54 (67.5%) were strikes. While these aren’t peak-Severino numbers, having him pitching this well will definitely be a boost going into the playoffs.
As CC is going off towards Cooperstown in the future, Severino will (hopefully) be taking the reigns as the next great Yankees pitcher for the decade of 2020-2029 baseball.
How’d The Pitchers Pitch?
Three pitchers were used after Luis Severino yesterday, and as the Yankees had a 8-0 lead after the 5th inning, they were again able to use their September call-up arms to finish out the final 4 innings.
In order these were their pitching lines:
Stephen Tarpley: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K’s
Tyler Lyons: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K
Nestor Cortes Jr.: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K’s
All around, a solid performance from the three bullpen arms. It’s likely that none of these three will end up making the playoff roster, but regardless, seeing performances like this from Tarpley and Cortes Jr. are good to build off of.
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images
The Bronx Bombers:
Outside of the push for home-field advantage through the playoffs (and the best record in the MLB), the Yankees offense is currently in a challenge with a potential fellow postseason team, the Minnesota Twins.
Both teams going into yesterday’s action the Yankees were leading the race for most HR’s hit in a season by a team at 295, just one HR ahead of the Twins. After yesterday, they still have a 1 HR lead, 298 vs. 297.
And, if you’re doing the math, that means the Yankees were able to hit another 3 balls out of the ballpark during yesterday’s game, of which they got started early, thanks to Aaron Judge with this 1st inning solo homerun:
.@TheJudge44 is getting warmed up for October. #AllRise pic.twitter.com/cG1hElOvhU — MLB (@MLB) September 22, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Then, after back-to-back walks to Giancarlo Stanton and Luke Voit, Brett Gardner decided to get in on the fun with a 2nd-deck blast of his own:
https://embed.sendtonews.com/player2/embedcode.php?SC=i0wyH1LdEK-612923-8568&autoplay=on&sound=off
It only took until the next inning for DJ LeMahieu to hit a 2-run HR of his own to really put the game away, giving the Bombers a very early 6-0 lead.
DJ LeMahieu put the Yankees out of reach with this second-inning, two-run home run. Three Yankees homered in Sunday’s 8-3 win over the Blue Jays. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/68iltU8RBM — YES Network (@YESNetwork) September 22, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
How’d the Hitters Hit?
DJ LeMahieu: 2-4, HR, 2 R’s, 2 RBI’s, 1 K
Aaron Judge: 2-4, HR, 2 R’s, 1 RBI, 2 K
Giancarlo Stanton: 0-1, 1 R, 1 RBI (Sac Fly in the 5th), 1 BB
Luke Voit: 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI (Single in the 5th), 1 BB
Brett Gardner: 1-4, HR, 1 R, 3 RBI’s, 1 K
The rest of the line-up (Gio Urshela, Cameron Maybin, Austin Romine, Tyler Wade, and Thairo Estrada) combined to go 1-14, scoring 1 run with 2 strikeouts. Romine had the lone hit, a single in the 2nd.
What’s Next?
#Yankees upcoming pitching: Tuesday: opener Wednesday: opener Friday: Paxton Saturday: Severino Sunday: Tanaka — Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 22, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Today is an off-day from some baseball before a 2-game series against the Rays in Tampa Bay, Florida before a final 3-game series against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas to finish the season over next weekend.
Final Notes:
Didi Victory Tweet!
#StartSpreadingTheNews yankees win great start by #supersaying going 5 strong… 🤖 with homerun 2rbi, 👨🏽⚖️ with homerun 1rbi, 🌋 1rbi, 🤡 with homerun 3rbi, 🐂 with 1rbi, 🔥🔥bullpen🔥🔥, 🥏, and 🤵🏻 to close it… WHAT A GAME!!!… — Sir Didi Gregorius (@DidiG18) September 22, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
CC Sabathia gifted each teammate a pair of custom Jordan cleats before the game!
From me, to you my @Yankees brothers! A special @Jumpman23 delivery for the squad. pic.twitter.com/suUNlm6HVF — CC Sabathia (@CC_Sabathia) September 20, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
#BrettGardner #DJLeMahieu #CCSabathia #AaronJudge #LuisSeverino
