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Series Recap
·5 min read

Series Recap: Yankees break hex in series victory over Mariners

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The last time the New York Yankees won a series on June 11, it was still springtime. Set on auto pilot the club cruised out to the West Coast and wasn’t the same. Until now.

Returning to the coast where their misfortunes began, the squad finally broke its hex and won a series, taking three of four from the Seattle Mariners. They looked loose and when you know your bullpen is going to follow through and make your hard work pay off, it makes a world of difference.

GAME 1

In a game with little margin of error, Luis Severino outdueled Felix Hernandez in the battle of aces. The 4-1 victory got the Yankees started off on the right foot in Seattle.

SEVY STUD

Luis Severino pitched a gem in the Emerald City, battling M’s hitters all evening. Unlike Felix Hernandez, Severino stayed ahead of opposing hitters with 20 of 30 first pitch strikes. In total, the Yankees’ All-Star hurler worked seven scoreless frames and registered six strikeouts.

JET SET

Brett Gardner broke this one open with a solo homer to right off of “King Felix” in the seventh. With home run No. 16 the longest tenured Yankee had the Bronx Bombers in business.

MAULING MARINERS MISCUES

Across the next two innings, the Yankees would take advantage of some M’s mistakes. During the eighth, Chase Headley singled to center against James Pazos. Then shortstop Jean Segura botched what would’ve been an inning ending double play ball on a grounder by Gardner.

After Tony Zych was brought on, Gary Sanchez walked and Aaron Judge lined an RBI-single to center.

Facing Max Povse in the ninth, a throwing error by Robinson Cano at second, on a ball hit by Headley, enabled two more runs to cross the dish.

GAME 2

In posting a 5-1 victory, the Yankees had everything rolling. One could pick from CC Sabathia, the bullpen or the mammoth blast by Judge.

CC TAMES SEA SEA

Aside from a bumpy first frame, Sabathia continued his role of road warrior this season. Celebrating his birthday on the bump, Sabathia lowered his road ERA to 2.29, with five strikeouts across five frames.

SUPER SONIC BOOM

The blast that broke Statcast. With the Bronx Bombers ahead 2-1 in the fifth, Judge all but put an end to the talk of the vaunted “home run derby slump.” Facing Andrew Moore with two runners on, Judge launched a 437-foot shot which landed in the second to last row in left.

BULLPEN ON POINT

The quartet of Tommy Kahnle, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Adam Warren combined for four scoreless frames and six strikeouts.

GAME 3

Going for a third consecutive victory, two rallies couldn’t overcome a shotty start from Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees fell 6-5 in 10 innings.

MISSED MOMENTUM MASAHIRO

Is it me or does it seem like every time the Yankees get some momentum going and Tanaka has the opportunity to put his foot down full throttle, everything unravels? Tanaka fanned six across six but a four-run third was his undoing, an inning which included home runs yielded to Mike Zunino and Ben Gamel. Tanaka’s troubles may give a reason as to why the club is shopping around with an eye on the likes of Yu Darvish.

 RALLY AND RALLY AGAIN

In the eighth and infield single by Gardner set the table. Clint Frazier doubled to left, which opened up first base for an intentional walk to Judge, who homered for the second consecutive contest in the sixth. Ensuing batter Matt Holliday knotted things up with a sacrifice fly to right.

Yet, during the home half, Cano would take former his former teammate Robertson deep to left and the M’s reclaimed the lead at 5-4.

During the ninth, Didi Gregorius started the rally with a walk. Pinch runner Jacoby Ellsbury stole second. With the Yanks down to their final strike, Ronald Torreyes delivered the equalizer with an RBI-single to left.

WALKED OFF

After the Yankees failed to score in the top half of the tenth, Warren was brought on to pitch. A double to center by Gamel opened up a free base for Cano, who was intentionally walked. Ensuing batter Nelson Cruz notched and RBI-single to left and the Mariners walked off winners.

GAME 4

In their matinee finale, the Yankees bounced back and their bats and bullpen made a 6-4 score hold up in the end.

BRONX BOMBERS BREAK OUT

Facing Yovani Gallardo, the Yanks lineup busted out and clocked three homers in the first four frames. Gardner matched a single-season career-high with No. 17 in the first.

Gregorius went deep during the second and the fourth and now has 14 on the campaign. The solo shots staked New York to a 3-0 advantage.

SMITH SPOTTY START

Caleb Smith was OK in his first turn through the Seattle order but when his day was done in the fourth, his line essentially read like left-handed Luis Cessa. One wondered why manager Joe Girardi didn’t give him the hook sooner in the fourth with the ability to rest his bullpen on Monday but even though the M’s would take a 4-3 edge, the Yankees bullpen would hold them right there.

UP STAYS FRAZIER

Facing James Pazos in the sixth, the Yankees would bounce back. Following walks to Headley, Todd Frazier and a pinch hit single by Torreyes, Gardner tied the contest with a single to left.

After the M’s brought on Zych, Clint Frazier whacked a two-run double to left and New York regained the lead at 6-4.

BULLPEN HOLDS IT

Propelled by a stout outing of 3.2 innings of flawless three-strikeout ball by Green, the rest of the Yankees bullpen followed. Betances, Robertson and Chapman all tossed a scoreless frame apiece and closed out the Mariners.

ON DECK

At 51-46, the Yankees return home to Yankee Stadium to face the Cincinnati Reds in a two-game set starting Tuesday night.

Pitching probables Luis Castillo vs. Jordan Montgomery, Homer Bailey vs. Luis Severino.