Gregorius does it again, hits clutch homer in the tenth to secure 4-3 win

Coming into this seven-game road stint, the Yankees were feeling good. Winners of their last six games, New York ace Luis Severino took the bump Friday night looking to secure his fifth win of the season, and the seventh straight for the Yankees. The name of the game for both teams was solid defense and timely hitting, but the hottest hitter of the season struck once again, giving the Yankees a 4-3 win in 10 innings.

 

Photo Credit: Jae C. Hong | AP

The Yankees bats came out slow as Angels starter Andrew Heaney cruised through the first three innings, striking out six Yankees while only giving up one base knock, a single to Giancarlo Stanton. A bloop double with one out in the fourth from Didi Gregorius gave the Yankees their first runner in scoring position. A walk from Stanton followed by a fielder’s choice from Gary Sanchez left runners on first and third with two outs. Heaney got Neil Walker to fly out to left to end the inning.

On the bump, Luis Severino was phenomenal. After giving up a solo shot to Shohei Ohtani in the second inning, Sevy bounced back to retire 13 of the next 14 batters. The only runner given up was retired two pitches later via a double-play ball. Severino finished with 8 K’s.

The Yankees came back firing in the fifth with a leadoff double from Miguel Andujar. A Ronald Torreyes single moved him over to third. Aaron Hicks was able to lift a flyball to center to score Andujar, tying the game at one. Didi led off the sixth with a bunt down the third base line, beating the shift and knocking Andrew Heaney out of the game. Jim Johnson came in for the Angels and immediately found himself in trouble. An error from Andrelton Simmons on a ground ball had the Yankees with first and second and no men out. Gary Sanchez went down on three pitches, but not before a passed ball had Neil Walker up with runners on second and third. Walker hit a bomb to right field that looked to be gone, but Kole Calhoun made a sensational play, robbing Walker of a home run. Didi came around to score on the sac fly, but Stanton was ruled out for leaving second base early. The run technically shouldn’t have counted for the Yanks, but nonetheless they took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Severino was still rolling in the bottom half of the sixth, going up and down in just 10 pitches. The bottom of the seventh got sticky for #40. Two quick singles had Angels’ runners on first and second with just one out. A wild pitch from Severino moved both runners into scoring position, and Los Angeles capitalized. Andrelton Simmons ripped a triple to right, scoring Mike Trout and Albert Pujols and giving the Angels a 3-2 lead. Severino struck out Zack Cozart to end the inning, but the damage was done.

 

Photo Credit: Jae C. Hong | AP

Looking to tie the game with just six outs left, Aaron Hicks led off the top of the eighth with a walk. Two quick outs from Judge and Didi left Stanton at the plate with Hicks on first. Stanton launched a ball to deep left field. Michael Kay thought it was gone, but Justin Upton came down with it on the warning track. It felt like the 3000th warning track shot of the game from the Yankees.

Jonathan Holder came into the eighth hoping to keep the score where it was, 3-2 in favor of Los Angeles. Holder got the 8-9-1 hitters in the Angles order to go down on just 12 pitches, keeping the Yankee deficit at just one heading into the top of the ninth.

Gary Sanchez worked a leadoff walk from Angels’ closer Keynan Middleton. Middleton came back and struck out Neil Walker, but Miguel Andujar ripped a ball down the left field line for his second double of the game. Sanchez could not score, but the Yankees had only one out with runners on second and third for Gleyber Torres. Torres was intentionally walked to set up a potential double play ball from Ronald Torreyes. Aaron Boone decided to pinch-hit Torreyes in favor of Brett Gardner, who delivered. Gardy lifted one deep enough to left allowing Sanchez to score and tie the game at three. Hicks ended the inning with a groundout, but the Yanks were still alive.

David Robertson was brought out in the bottom half of the ninth to try and send this game to extras. He did that, with no damage on his line, getting the 2-3-4 hitters from the Angels out in order.

Blake Parker came out to pitch the top of the tenth for the Angels, but it didn’t turn out too well for him. He got Judge to fly out to right, but Didi Gregorius came up and launched a homer into the right field seats, the go-ahead run and eventually game-winner for the Yanks. Didi is continuing to put up one of the best April’s in Yankee history.

 

Photo Credit: Jae C. Hong | AP

Aroldis Chapman came out trying to shut the door on any idea of an Angels rally. He retired the first two batters via flyouts but gave up a two-out double to Zack Cozart, keeping LA’s hopes alive. Former Yankees Chris Young came to the plate looking to send it the eleventh, but Chapman got him to weakly pop out to first, securing the Yankees seventh straight win.

Winning Pitcher: David Robertson (1-1, 3.38 ERA): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K.

Losing Pitcher: Blake Parker (0-1, 4.85 ERA): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K.
Save: Aroldis Chapman (5)

Notables:

Shohei Otani: 1-2, HR (4), RBI, R.

Andrelton Simmons: 1-3, 3B, 2 RBI.

Andrew Heaney (SP): 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 9 K.

Didi Gregorius: 3-5, HR (10), 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R.

Aaron Judge: 0-5, 4 K.

Miguel Andujar: 2-4, 2 2B, R.

What’s next?

The Yankees will look to extend their winning streak to eight games and secure a series victory tomorrow as they face the Angels at 9:07 pm ET. The Yanks will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to oppose Garrett Richards.

Article by: Shane Black

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