Chicago Cubs 0 — New York Yankees 3
After yesterday’s game was rained out, the Yankees turned to Tanaka for the first of two in a day-night doubleheader.
Masahiro Tanaka would continue his debut season in the MLB with an interleague matchup with the visiting Chicago Cubs. He would walk one in the first but that was one of the very few to reach base. In the second inning, outfielder Junior Lake would make the second bunt attempt of the game, this time for initial failure.
Replay overturned the call.
The first hit of the game came on an instant replay single. Tanaka didn’t let the delay of instant replay weigh him down as he would strikeout the next two batters faced. Masahiro Tanaka would have 14 consecutive Cubs retired before first baseman Anthony Rizzo cheated the shift with a single to the left side of the infield, where no one was, to break the streak in the seventh inning. Tanaka would get two more ground outs before striking out Junior Lake. This strikeout, his eighth of the game, was also his 26th one, a significant one in the Yankees record books.
The 26th strikeout passed Al Leiter for most strikeouts by a Yankees pitcher in their first three MLB games. Tanaka would put a little more distance between him and Leiter with a pair of strikeouts in the eighth inning of a overall dominant outing.
Over eight innings, Masahiro Tanaka allowed no runs while striking out 10 and allowing two hits, two bunt singles, and walked one.
With Tanaka on the mound today, the Yankees didn’t need much offense. Good thing they have the man of the week, Carlos Beltran, in the lineup. In the first inning, Carlos Beltran would provide instant offense with his fourth home run of the game. In the fourth inning, the Yankees would wrap a pair of singles around a walk to load the bases. Dean Anna would hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the second run. The last run would come in an unconventional manner.
In the fifth inning, Brett Gardner started with a ground-rule double that outifielder Junior Lake lost in the sun. Carlos Beltran would advanced Gardner to third on a ground out. Jacoby Ellsbury would hit a ground ball to the pitcher that would bring home Gardner but replays would indicate a problem. Ellsbury’s swing made contact with catcher John Baker‘s glove for what was initially believed to be catcher’s interference. Joe Girardi would approach the home plate umpire and informed Jim Reynolds that he would choose to accept the out at first in exchange for the run that scored.
You don’t see that everyday. But the Yankees and their fans will continue looking forward to the success of Masahiro Tanaka.
Win – Masahiro Tanaka (2-0)
Loss – Jason Hammel (2-1)
Save – Shawn Kelley (4)
Notables
Cubs
*Anthony Rizzo – 2 for 4
*Junior Lake – 1 for 3
Yankees
*Carlos Beltran – 1 for 3, R, BB, Solo Home Run (4) in the 1st, RBI (9)
*Jacoby Ellsbury – 1 for 3. BB, 2B, RBI (4)
Current Yankees Record: 8-6
