New York Yankees 7 – Minnesota Twins 2
Eovaldi gets plenty of run support in today’s rubber match in Minnesota.
Nathan Eovaldi struck out four through the first two innings but the third inning proved to be problematic for the hard-throwing righty. After getting the first out, Aaron Hicks got on base with an infield single that Didi Gregorius could not get. Brian Dozier hit a single past Gregorius to put runners on the corners with one out. On a hot shot to the hot corner, Chase Headley could not come up with the ball but Gregorius backed up the Yankees third baseman and got the second out of the inning, though the first run of the game scored for the Twins.
In the first two innings, the Yankees had a runner in scoring position but could not bring him around to score. The Yankees did not get their first run of the game until Chase Headley took Twins starter Kyle Gibson deep in the fifth inning.
In the sixth inning, Kyle Gibson struggled with command and paid for it in a big way.
After Brett Gardner hit the first pitch of the sixth inning for a single, Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann were walked to load the bases with no outs. Carlos Beltran helped Gibson with the first out of the inning when he chased three pitches but Garrett Jones picked up where Beltran left off. Jones hit a single to right field, scoring one run and breaking the 1-1 tie. Chase Headley followed with a two-run single into right field, giving him three runs on the day.
Left-handed reliever Ryan O’Rourke came in to slow down the Yankees bats but Gregorius went an alternative way to bring home a run. With runners on the corners, Didi Gregorius dropped the safety squeeze bunt and plated the fourth run of the inning and putting another runner in scoring position. Stephen Drew blew open the inning and the game with a two-run home run to right field, his 13th of the season.
On four hits and two walks, the Yankees changed a 1-1 tie into a 7-1 lead in the sixth inning.
In the sixth inning, Eovaldi surrendered a leadoff walk but erased it on a double play. In the seventh inning, Eovaldi gave up a pair of two-out singles but escaped unscathed. The Yankees starter generated one more double play in the eighth inning too. He came out for the ninth inning but a leadoff double by Miguel Sano was the last batter he faced. Justin Wilson came on and allowed a pair of hits, including a single that scored Sano. Dellin Betances got the call with the five-run lead and got a fly out and a double play on a line out to finish off the game and the series.
In eight innings, Nathan Eovaldi allowed two runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out five. He fell short of his first career complete game but came away with the win, his 10th of the season.
Win – Nathan Eovaldi (10-2)
Loss – Kyle Gibson (8-8)
Notables
Yankees
*Chase Headley – 2 for 4, 2 R, Solo home run (9) in the 5th, 3 RBI (39)
*Stephen Drew – 1 for 3, R, Two-run home run (13) in the 6th, 2 RBI (28)
Twins
*Aaron Hicks – 2 for 3, R
*Trevor Plouffe – 1 for 4, RBI (55)
Current Yankees Record: 55-42
