Yanks comeback falls short as Tribe even series with 6-5 win
Friday night’s match up at Progressive Field saw Domingo German face off against the Indians’ Shane Bieber. German started the game with zero command of the strike zone and immediately got himself into trouble.
In the bottom of the first, he walked Francisco Lindor and Michael Brantley to start the inning. After a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third, Jose Ramirez grounded out to first to bring home Lindor. German actually battled through the jam and struck out both Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso to keep the score 1-0. He was not as fortunate in the bottom of the second inning. Tyler Naquin had a one out single and was brought home by Yan Gomes’ double off the left field wall. Greg Allen grounded out for the second out of the inning. However, with two outs, Lindor walked again and Brantley laced a two-run double to right-center field to give the Tribe a 4-0 lead.
After the rough start, German would settle in for a bit, retiring seven batters in a row. The Yankee bats finally woke up against Bieber in the top of the fifth when Greg Bird led off with a double down the right field line. After a Miguel Andujar walk, Neil Walker went the opposite way and doubled off the left-field wall to score Bird. While Kyle Higashioka was batting, Bieber threw a wild pitch which scored Andujar. Brett Gardner hit a sac-fly to bring home Walker and the Yankees cut the lead to 4-3.
German ran out of gas in the bottom of the fifth inning. He gave up a lead off single to Brantley and Ramirez smacked a triple down the right field line to score Brantley and knock German out of the game. Jonathan Holder would come in relief and quickly walked Encarnacion and gave up an RBI single to Alonso. Holder would settle down to retire the next three batters, but the Indians would lead 6-3 after five innings.
The offense endured scoreless frames for the next two innings, but the Yankees got one back in the eighth. Tyler Wade led off with a double down the left-field line to knock Bieber out of the game. Oliver Perez replaced Bieber, and after a wild pitch, Gardner grounded out to Lindor to bring home Wade. Neil Ramirez came in for Perez and hit Aaron Judge with a fastball, putting him on first with one out. Aaron Hicks worked the count full against Ramirez, but struck out. Judge was running on the pitch and was initially called safe. Upon review, Lindor got the tag down in time and Judge was called out. It makes no sense to have Judge run there, especially with Giancarlo Stanton on deck as the tying run. Presumably that is a call from Boone, but that is just unacceptable play-calling in that situation.
Cody Allen came in for the ninth, and he had been dreadful all season. Even though they are a first place team, the Indians have the worst bullpen in baseball and Allen is a major reason for that reputation. It also doesn’t help Cleveland that Andrew Miller has been hurt. Well, Allen’s first batter was Giancarlo Stanton and Stanton parked one over the fence in right center field to cut the lead to one (Again, why was Judge running?). Next, Greg Bird singled to right and Clint Frazier came into the game to pinch run. While all the momentum was in the Yankees’ favor, Andujar grounded into a double play. Walker was the next batter and he worked a walk against Allen. Didi Gregorious pinch-hit for Higashioka, but popped up to Lindor to end the game.
What’s Next?
Game three of this four game set takes place tomorrow night as CC Sabathia (6-4, 3.34 ERA) takes the mound against Mike Clevenger (7-4, 3.34 ERA). After six quality starts in a row, Sabathia was roughed up by the Orioles his last time out. Prior to that, he had six quality starts in a row and pitched to under a 2.00 ERA. CC has struggled on the road this year, 2-3 with a 4.42 ERA. Clevenger has had an impressive year of his own, but strangely enough, his numbers on the road are much better than at Progressive Field. On the road, Clevenger is 4-2 with a 2.61 ERA and opponents are hitting .212 against him. At home, he is 3-2 with a 4.08 ERA an opponents are hitting .269 against him.
Recap by: John Keefe
Follow @JohnKeefe1994
Follow @BronxBomberBall
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| Photo courtesy of NY Daily News |
In the bottom of the first, he walked Francisco Lindor and Michael Brantley to start the inning. After a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third, Jose Ramirez grounded out to first to bring home Lindor. German actually battled through the jam and struck out both Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso to keep the score 1-0. He was not as fortunate in the bottom of the second inning. Tyler Naquin had a one out single and was brought home by Yan Gomes’ double off the left field wall. Greg Allen grounded out for the second out of the inning. However, with two outs, Lindor walked again and Brantley laced a two-run double to right-center field to give the Tribe a 4-0 lead.
After the rough start, German would settle in for a bit, retiring seven batters in a row. The Yankee bats finally woke up against Bieber in the top of the fifth when Greg Bird led off with a double down the right field line. After a Miguel Andujar walk, Neil Walker went the opposite way and doubled off the left-field wall to score Bird. While Kyle Higashioka was batting, Bieber threw a wild pitch which scored Andujar. Brett Gardner hit a sac-fly to bring home Walker and the Yankees cut the lead to 4-3.
German ran out of gas in the bottom of the fifth inning. He gave up a lead off single to Brantley and Ramirez smacked a triple down the right field line to score Brantley and knock German out of the game. Jonathan Holder would come in relief and quickly walked Encarnacion and gave up an RBI single to Alonso. Holder would settle down to retire the next three batters, but the Indians would lead 6-3 after five innings.
The offense endured scoreless frames for the next two innings, but the Yankees got one back in the eighth. Tyler Wade led off with a double down the left-field line to knock Bieber out of the game. Oliver Perez replaced Bieber, and after a wild pitch, Gardner grounded out to Lindor to bring home Wade. Neil Ramirez came in for Perez and hit Aaron Judge with a fastball, putting him on first with one out. Aaron Hicks worked the count full against Ramirez, but struck out. Judge was running on the pitch and was initially called safe. Upon review, Lindor got the tag down in time and Judge was called out. It makes no sense to have Judge run there, especially with Giancarlo Stanton on deck as the tying run. Presumably that is a call from Boone, but that is just unacceptable play-calling in that situation.
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| Photo courtesy of Cleveland.com |
What’s Next?
Game three of this four game set takes place tomorrow night as CC Sabathia (6-4, 3.34 ERA) takes the mound against Mike Clevenger (7-4, 3.34 ERA). After six quality starts in a row, Sabathia was roughed up by the Orioles his last time out. Prior to that, he had six quality starts in a row and pitched to under a 2.00 ERA. CC has struggled on the road this year, 2-3 with a 4.42 ERA. Clevenger has had an impressive year of his own, but strangely enough, his numbers on the road are much better than at Progressive Field. On the road, Clevenger is 4-2 with a 2.61 ERA and opponents are hitting .212 against him. At home, he is 3-2 with a 4.08 ERA an opponents are hitting .269 against him.
Recap by: John Keefe
Follow @JohnKeefe1994
Follow @BronxBomberBall
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