Yankees stay hot, move into first place with 12-4 victory

Different day, same story for the 2017 New York Yankees. In each win so far this season, a different player steps up. Granted, the Yankees have a talented team, with star power, and more than a few big-time players. But in contrast to the 2016 team, each day someone different shows up in the form of offense, defense or even pitching. Last night, the Yankees faced two huge deficits being down 9-1, and then 11-4. Anyone who watched the Yankees last year knew the game was over at that point. This year however, this team says no way. The grit, the resilience, the pick each other up attitude is contagious and spreading throughout the clubhouse. Watching the Yankees play this season is a pleasure thus far, and with a 14-3 record over the past few weeks, this team is loose and having fun.

Photo Credit: AP Photo Frank Franklin II

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in the Bronx, the Yankees kept the train rolling. Michael Pineda took the rubber, and while he has been solid through four games this season, Yankee fans and organization want to see him produce consistently all season long. A pitcher’s best friend can come in the form of run support, and that is exactly what Pineda received early in the first inning.  Usually, after an offensive explosion, especially in a night game the bats come out flat the next day. Brett Gardner made sure this did not happen, and took out a season’s worth of frustration on Ubaldo Jimenez. Gardner led off the game with towering home run to the short porch to put the Yankees up 1-0 early. During the bottom of the second inning the Yankees added to their lead. The solid Austin Romine hit a sacrifice fly to right center field to allow Didi Gregorius to score while Aaron Judge moved over to third. After Greg Bird worked a walk, Gardner hit his second home run of the game with a deep shot to center field. After two, the Yankees led 5-0.

Photo Credit: AP Photo Frank Franklin II

Big Michael Pineda, proved that perhaps his solid start to this young season is no fluke. With an elevated pitch count after the first inning, due to a twelve pitch at bat with Manny Machado, Pineda cruised through five innings. Giving up only four hits, and one walk to go along with seven strikeouts, Pineda had batters swinging and missing all afternoon. We have all been perplexed with Pineda over the course of his Yankee tenure, due to the fact that he has filthy stuff, but fails to dominate on a consistent basis. This season however, has been different. Pineda leads the American League in outside-the-zone swing percentage. At 41.3 percent, Pineda has batters puzzled at the plate, and that was evident today with the amount of swing and misses at pitches in the dirt.

Photo Credit: Al Bello Getty Images

Today’s game seemed to just flow right along. The Yankees added two runs to their lead in the bottom of the fourth, as Romine singled on a ball to center field which brought in Judge and Bird. Those two runs also ended the day for Jimenez after just three and a third innings. Pineda would only go five and one third innings only allowing one run to Machado on a throwing error by Chase Headley. Adam Warren came into the game following a solid performance by the starter, and immediately found himself in trouble. After a lineout by J.J. Hardy, Hyun Soo Kim singled to left field, and Jonathan Schoop was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Mark Trumbo to come in and score, and Caleb Joseph was up at the plate. At any rate, Warren worked in and out of trouble, denying Joseph his first RBI since 2015, and the Yankees led 7-2 after six.

Yankee catcher Austin Romine, continued his career best day in the bottom of the sixth, hitting a two-run bomb to left center field which game him a career high five RBIs on the day. During the bottom of the seventh inning the Yankees just continued to hit. Gregorius hit a ball just about as hard as you can off the center field wall for a double, that brought in Starlin Castro to bring the score to 10-2. To follow, Judgement Day continues in the Bronx, as big Aaron Judge hit a blast to deep center field, over the bullpen to making it 12-2 Yankees. The Orioles scored two runs in the top of the ninth off a homerun by Joseph, but fell to the Bombers 12-4.

Photo Credit: Al Bello Getty Images

Tomorrow the Yankees look for a series sweep against the Orioles 1:05 PM ET. For the Bombers, young lefty Jordan Montgomery (1-1, 3.78 ERA) takes the hill against left hander Wade Miley (1-1, 2.08 ERA). New York will look to build on their hot streak, while Baltimore will try and salvage the last game of the series.

Winning Pitcher: Michael Pineda (3-1, 3.14 ERA) 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO

Losing Pitcher: Ubaldo Jimenez: (1-1, 7.43 ERA) 3.1 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO

Notables:

Didi Gregorius: 2-4, 2 R, RBI (2),

Aaron Judge: 2-2, 2 R, 2 RBI (20), 2 BB, HR (10)

Brett Gardner: 2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR

Austin Romine: 2-3, 1 R, 5 RBI (10), HR (2)

Article by: Randy Hancock

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