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Yankees Game 22: Yankees overcome injuries

David Phelps provided four innings of one-run baseball to replace the injured Nova.

Toronto Blue Jays 4 — New York Yankees 6

 

Yankees pull together and overcome early injuries in tonight’s 6-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

 

The injury bug could not wait to get the Yankees tonight. In the first inning, just five pitches into the game, Francisco Cervelli would be forced to exit the game. Chris Stewart would take over behind the plate. Ivan Nova started tonight’s game and would not go deep into tonight’s game. After a hit batter and a single to start the third inning, Nova would be removed from the game due to an injury as well. David Phelps would be brought in to take over. The first batter he faced, Colby Rasmus, would single in a run before a pair of strikeouts and a caught baserunner would end the inning.

Ivan Nova’s short pitching line was two innings with two runs allowed on four hits with two strikeouts.

David Phelps provided outstanding quality innings in an emergency role. The only run he allowed came on Edwin Encarnacion’s second home run of the night. This home run came in the sixth inning, Phelps’ fourth inning of work tonight. He bounced back well and struck out the side to end an impressive long relief role. In four innings, David Phelps allowed one run on two hits with a walk and striking out a career-high nine.

The Yankees utilized productive outs to bring in their first two runs of the game. In the second inning, a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs but Eduardo Nunez was the only one capable of bringing in a run on a ground out. Then, in the third inning, three walks and a sacrifice bunt loaded the bases again. Another walk would reload the bases but Ichiro Suzuki would strike out. Opportunities that were not completely capitalized on.

In the fourth inning, Eduardo Nunez would be hit by a pitch and Lyle Overbay would come through with a ringing fly ball to left center that centerfielder Colby Rasmus would have a hard time managing. This would become Overbay’s first triple since 2011 and it put the Yankees ahead by a score of 3-2. A passed ball would bring Overbay in and give the Yankees a two-run lead. A passed ball in the seventh inning would bring in a run for the Yankees that would prove to be very valuable.

David Robertson would take on his normal duties as the eighth inning reliever. With a two-run lead, Robertson would give up a solo home run to Jose Bautista that made it a one-run game. In the bottom half of the inning, Brett Gardner would muscle up to get the run back as he would hit his third home run of the season.

Mariano Rivera would pitch in the ninth inning and it would become a little unnerving. After a line out to third, two singles would sneak through to right field to put the tying run on base. A strikeout of Munenori Kawasaki was followed by an infield single to load the bases, the go-ahead run being on first base. On a 2-2 pitch, Rivera would throw a high cutter that Colby Rasmus would chase, striking out and ending the game. Mariano Rivera got his eighth save of the season.

The Yankees clearly had opportunities to blow this game out and making it out of hand easily. With 10 walks and 17 left on base, hitting 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position was a flaw in tonight’s game. On a positive note, Joba Chamberlain had another scoreless seventh inning, making it seven consecutive scoreless appearances. Vernon Wells got two hits in tonight’s game as he continues to be a thorn in the side of the Blue Jays.

Francisco Cervelli would be diagnosed with a fractured right hand that will have him miss at least six weeks. Ivan Nova went to get an MRI of his elbow and the results of this have not been presented yet.

 

Win – David Phelps (1-1)

Loss – Brad Lincoln (0-1)

Save – Mariano Rivera (8)

 

Notables

Blue Jays

*Edwin Encarnacion – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 Solo Home Runs (7) in the 2nd & 6th, 2 RBI (16)

*Jose Bautista – 1 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (6) in the 8th, RBI (10)

Yankees

*Vernon Wells – 2 for 3, R, RBI (11)

*Lyle Overbay – 1 for 4, 3B, RBI (9)

 

Current Yankees Record: 13-9 (Streak – W2)

 

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