Hicks leads Yankees hit parade as Yankees win fourth straight game by 11-6 score

All season long this Yankee team has had a different feel about them. A spark, even a few players that are must watch when they come up to bat. For the first time in at least a handful of seasons, this team is fun to watch. The 2017 New York Yankees are never out of a game, and they have shown that so far, they will not waive the white flag and say, “tomorrow is another day”. This was evident yesterday afternoon in Wrigley, where the Yankee bats were shut down all day, and the confines of the so called “Windy City”, had not been too kind. But during the bottom of the ninth, after Chase Headley and Jacoby Ellsbury got on base Brett Gardner hit a three-run shot that turned a bad day, into a great victory. Do not count these Yankees out, and do not believe the game is over before the final out is made or they can and will make you pay.

AP Photo Nam Y. Huh

On a cool, but beautiful evening in Wrigley field the Yankees were determined to not wait until the ninth inning to get the bats going. Big left hander Jordan Montgomery (1-1, 4.15 ERA) was on the mound for the Bombers, and he was the beneficiary of some major run support before he even threw a pitch. Gardner started off the game with a double to get the Yankees going, and on a bunt single to the pitcher Aaron Hicks reached first, and Gardner scored on the error by the pitcher.  The red-hot Starlin Castro would go on to hit a double to right field bringing in Hicks, and with a single by the newly activated Gary Sanchez, Castro came in to score. After a single by Didi Gregorius, Chase Headley doubled on a liner to right field that made it 5-0 after one. Brett Anderson (2-1, 6.23 ERA) was on the hill for the Cubs, and struggled in his last start against the Phillies giving up seven runs over just one and a third inning. Unfortunately for the Cubs, his start would be much of the same for an already taxed bullpen. Anderson would only last a third of an inning giving up all five runs.

AP Photo: Nam Y. Huh

After having a big cushion to start the game, the Yankees continued to pile on the runs. Sanchez led off the third inning with an infield single to the pitcher, and Gregorius followed that up with a single to right. Kris Bryant committed an error on Chris Carter's fielder’s choice to third which allowed Sanchez to score and it was 6-0 after three.

The Cubs have struggled to hit so far this series and the Yankees continued to show their ability to do so tonight. During the top of the fourth inning, Hicks kept his hot hitting going with a double to deep right, and the former Cub Starlin Castro hit an absolute bomb to left field making it 8-0. Through five innings the Cubs had used three pitchers, and it did not seem to matter who it was the Yankees were locked in tonight.

AP Photo: Nam Y. Huh

However, for Montgomery, it was just the opposite. He was able to work ahead of hitters all evening, and attack all areas of the strike zone using his curveball to get many swing and misses. Montgomery held the cubs scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when he walked the leadoff hitter Albert Almora Jr. Second baseman Javier Baez doubled to deep right, and on a groundout to short Jon Jay brought in the first run for the Cubbies. Ben Zobrist then hit a groundball to Gregorius, in which he committed a throwing error, allowing Baez to score. After five it was 8-2. After a solid night reaching one hundred pitches in six and two thirds innings, Montgomery’s night was done. Jay worked a walk, and Zobrist hit a triple to left field which brought in Tyler Clippard. Through seven innings it was 8-3 Yankees.

Although the Yankees did not need any further run support, they decided to tack on a few more runs during the top of the eighth inning. Rob Refsnyder worked a pinch-hit walk, and Gardner singled on a ground ball to left field. Red hot Aaron Hicks picked up his fourth hit of the night, hitting a three-run shot to center field, increasing the Yankees lead to 11-3.

AP Photo: Nam Y. Huh

The Cubs did continue to battle in the final innings. In the bottom the eighth, a triple by Addison Russell, and walk by catcher Wilson Contreras put runners on the corners with only one out. Tommy Lane then gave up a line drive single to Baez, and a tough single up the middle that hopped off the lip of the grass allowing three runs to score making it 11-6. Adam Warren then came in to limit further damage,  and get out of the inning.

In a strange move, only being down five runs to begin the ninth, Joe Maddon brought in catcher Miguel Montero to pitch. Walking two batters, he magnificently worked out of the inning unscathed. Warren would finish off the game for the Yankees, and secure their fourth straight win.

AP Photo: Nam Y. Huh

Tomorrow night on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball 8:05 PM ET, the Bombers will look for the series sweep against the defending champs. For the Yankees Luis Severino (2-2, 3.86 ERA) gets the start looking to rebound after a tough outing against Toronto. And for the Cubs, the familiar Jon Lester (1-1, 3.67 ERA) takes the hill looking to salvage the series.

Winning Pitcher: Jordan Montgomery ( 2-1, 3.81 ERA) 6.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO

Losing Pitcher: Brett Anderson (2-2, 8.18 ERA) 0.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 SO

Notables:

Aaron Hicks: 4-5, 3 R, 3 RBI (15)

Starlin Castro: 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI (19)

Aaron Judge: 0-5

Gary Sanchez: 2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI (3), 1 BB

Didi Gregorius: 2-4, 1 R

Chase Headley: 1-5, 2 RBI (11)

Article By: Randy Hancock

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