New York Yankees 5 – Seattle Mariners 3 (11 innings)
After a series-opening win against King Felix, the Yankees looked to build on it against a pitcher in his major league debut.
Through the first two innings, Mike Montgomery kept the Yankees off the scoreboard despite a two-out, two-on threat in the second inning. In the third inning, Montgomery and the Mariners got the feeling it was “us against the world.”
With one out in the third inning, Brett Gardner walked on a check swing that Gardner himself thought he went too far on but third base umpire, Tony Randazzo, has the decision that counts. Then, with two outs, Alex Rodriguez received a similar gift from first base umpire, Will Little. Following the two highly questionable walks, manager Lloyd McClendon spoke his mind to all umpires involved and got the quick hook, as well as catcher Mike Zunino.
With a new catcher behind the plate and a pair of gifts handed to the Yankees, Mark Teixeira made the most of the opportunity. The Yankees first baseman kept his hot bat from yesterday and came through with a run-scoring double to put the Yankees ahead by one.
Through the first two innings, CC Sabathia kept the scoreboard clean despite three runners on base. In the third inning, after receiving a lead, three singles, including by former Yankees’ Austin Jackson and Robinson Cano, plated the Mariners first run of the game, tying it at one.
Sabathia would get into trouble but came out clean despite allowing a batter to reach base in every inning. The luck for Sabathia ran out in the sixth inning.
In the sixth inning, Sabathia alternated hits for outs, getting two outs but allowing two singles with the second single ending his night on the mound. With the struggling David Carpenter entering in his place, Sabathia could be justified in his concern for the tie game.
David Carpenter got to a full count with Austin Jackson but Jackson won the battle. With a line drive to center field, the Mariners took the lead on a two-out double for Austin Jackson’s fourth hit of the game.
In 5 2/3 innings, CC Sabathia allowed two runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out six.
In the seventh inning, the Yankees appeared to have a glimmer of hope to quickly respond and tie it up but the saying “one step forward, two steps back” could almost be literal. Didi Gregorius entered the game as a pinch-hitter and proceeded to hit a single to center field. On the next single by JR Murphy, Gregorius was caught between second and third when he lost his footing and fell and eventually tagged out at second base. What could have been a two on, no outs situation became a one on, one out inning that ultimately went scoreless.
One step forward for Didi, two steps (and a fall) back for Didi.
Chasen Shreve and Jacob Lindgren suppled a scoreless seventh and eighth inning, respectively. The work by a pair of lefty arms kept it at a one-run game entering the ninth inning.
Against the closer Fernando Rodney, the Yankees looked to rally and it started with a walk to Chase Headley. Two outs later, pinch-hitter Brian McCann hit a single in the left center gap, putting runners at the corners and extending the inning to Stephen Drew. With the game on the line, Drew came through. The near .160 hitting Stephen Drew lined a double into right field to tie the game and blow the save of Fernando Rodney.
Yes, that actually happened.
In the bottom of the ninth, Dellin Betances took the mound. Unusually, Betances walked the first batter, Austin Jackson. After a steal of second base, Betances turned it up another level and struck out the next two batters, including Robinson Cano. He finished off the inning with a ground out to Gregorius to extend the game to extra innings.
In the 10th inning, the Yankees threatened with the bases loaded and one out but Carlos Beltran ended the threat with an easy double play. In the bottom half of the inning, Justin Wilson took the mound for the Yankees. After giving up a leadoff single to Kyle Seager, Rickie Weeks tried to advance Seager with a sacrifice bunt. Justin Wilson would have none of that and then some. The Yankees lefty dived to make the catch on the bunt, doubling off Seager at first base in the typical 1-4 double play.
In the 11th inning, the unbelievable continued to be believable. Didi Gregorius started the inning with a single but he was erased off the bases on a double play by Brian McCann. Stephen Drew followed with a two-out single and Brett Gardner hit a double to left field to put runners on second and third but with two outs. Lefty reliever Joe Beimel replaced Tom Wilhelmsen to face Garrett Jones, who delivered with his second home run of the season, a three-run blast to right center field to give the Yankees a three-run lead. For Jones, this was his first home run against a left-handed pitcher since July 26, 2012 against Houston Astros’ Dallas Keuchel.
With the save opportunity, Andrew Miller entered in the bottom of the 11th inning. After striking out the first batter, Miller gave up a single and hit the next batter to put the tying run at the plate. Miller got the second out but Robinson Cano hit a single to center field and brought the Mariners within two. Nelson Cruz stepped to the plate as the potential game-winning run but Andrew Miller met power bat with power fastball and blew a blazing fastball by Cruz, striking him out and completing the comeback win.
The bullpen went 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Win – Justin Wilson (2-0)
Loss – Tom Wilhelmsen (1-1)
Save – Andrew Miller (16)
Notables
Yankees
*Garrett Jones – 2 for 3, R, Three-run home run (2) in the 11, 3 RBI (7)
*Stephen Drew – 2 for 5, R, 2B, RBI (16)
Mariners
*Austin Jackson – 4 for 4, R, BB, 2 2B, RBI (7)
*Robinson Cano – 2 for 6, RBI (17)
Current Yankees Record: 28-25
