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NEW YORK, NY - JULY 17: Chris Young #24 of the New York Yankees rounds third base after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners during a MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2015 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Yankees game 89: Yankees finish on top in see-saw affair

Seattle Mariners 3 – New York Yankees 4

The second half of the season is underway and Masahiro Tanaka looked to get the Yankees going strong.

After an efficient, eight-pitch first inning, Masahiro Tanaka struggled in the second inning. After getting the first out, Tanaka walked Seth Smith and gave up a single to Austin Jackson. Tanaka got the second out of the inning before walking Logan Morrison to load the bases. Tanaka struck out Mike Zunino to end the strenuous 30-plus pitch inning.

In the bottom half of the second inning, the Yankees lefty killer struck.

With one out against lefty Mike Montgomery, Chris Young worked to a questionable full count but he did not complain about the extra pitch. On the 3-2 pitch, Chris Young hit a no doubt, solo home run to left field and put the Yankees on the board. Didi Gregorius hit a two-out single and Rob Refsnyder reached first on catcher’s interference in his first Yankee Stadium at-bat but the middle infielders were stranded on the bases.

In the third inning, Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager tied up the game with a solo home run to right field.

In the fourth inning, Chris Young struck again. After getting to yet another full count, Young hit a deep fly ball to left field that missed going over the wall for his second home run and settled with a double to left field. Chase Headley followed with first-pitch swinging, hitting a single to center field and regaining the lead for the Yankees.

Unfortunately, Kyle Seager appeared to have Tanaka’s number.

After a one-out single by Zunino in the fifth inning, the lineup turned over and Kyle Seager hit a deep two-run home run to right field, giving the Mariners the lead this time.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the see-saw game continued to sway.

Alex Rodriguez led off the fifth inning with a single. After Mark Teixeira walked, Brian McCann ripped a line drive to the right field corner, scoring Rodriguez and tying the game at three. Unfortunately, that was all the Yankees could do when Chris Young flew out to shallow center field and Chase Headley grounded into a double play.

Masahiro Tanaka pitched a pair of scoreless innings to finish on a strong note. In seven innings, Masahiro Tanaka allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. All three runs came off the bat of Kyle Seager.

But Tanaka had the last laugh thanks to the Yankees power.

After lefty reliever Joe Beimel retired the first batter, Alex Rodriguez went the other way for his 19th home run of the season, a solo bomb into the Yankees bullpen in right center field.

The home run put the Yankees ahead with two innings left, the formula was in effect.

Dellin Betances came in for the eighth inning. The All-Star reliever started with a strikeout of Seager and got a ground out from former Yankee Robinson Cano. Fellow All-Star Nelson Cruz struck out and Betances got the lead to the closer, Andrew Miller.

In the ninth inning, Andrew Miller got the first two outs, including a pinch-hitter before he faced two more pinch-hitters. Mark Trumbo got a hold of a slider and hit a single to left field to put the tying run on base. The next pinch-hitter was a familiar face to the Yankees as Jesus Montero came up to the plate. Miller made quick work of the former Yankees hitting prospect when he got Montero to wave at three consecutive sliders, ending the game easily and starting the second half on a win.

 

Win – Masahiro Tanaka (6-3)

Loss – Joe Beimel (0-1)

Save – Andrew Miller (19)

 

Notables

Mariners

*Kyle Seager – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 HR (14; Solo & Two-run) in the 3rd & 5th, 3 RBI (42)

*Austin Jackson – 2 for 4

Yankees

*Chris Young – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2B, Solo home run (11) in the 2nd, RBI (27)

*Alex Rodriguez – 2 for 4, 2 R, Solo home run (19) in the 7th, RBI (52)

 

Current Yankees Record: 49-40