Utilizing power hitting, power pitching, and defense, the New York Yankees took two of three from the San Diego Padres. Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu all outshined the Padres’ third baseman. James Paxton was also back in the fold and throwing heat. It was the eighth consecutive series victory for the Yankees.
The @Yankees have won 8 straight series for the first time since 1998.
You’ll remember how that season ended … pic.twitter.com/PsjbI3DZq2
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) May 29, 2019
GAME 1
An efficient afternoon of bullpening and timely home runs added up to a 5-2 Yankees victory.
Absolutely adored meeting Louis Forte of Westchester and his family. The 104-year-old World War II veteran teared up telling me about the friends he lost in the war. He will be honored during the seventh inning stretch at Yankee Stadium today. @CBSNewYork 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/kzt32v3fqG
— Jessica Layton (@JLaytonTV) May 27, 2019
ECONOMICAL BULLPENING
Aside from four frames of David Hale, no Yankee reliever eclipsed more than 14-pitches. Green set the tone by whiffing the side in the first inning. Adam Ottavino had his frisbee slider moving. Tommy Kahnle opted for the gas with a pair of K’s. Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman each worked a scoreless frame.
At first glance, it seemed like the Padres were welcoming a different look from Green to Hale. The Friars grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on a Josh Naylor RBI-double to right. Thankfully Luke Voit was able to cut down Wil Myers at the plate on a fielder’s choice by Ian Kinsler. Kinsler also inexplicably stopped at third on what was only a one-run double to left by Austin Hedges. Hale more or less followed the recent efforts of Nestor Cortes Jr. and Chance Adams.
SECOND SURGE
In the home half of the second, the Bronx Bombers were able to solve Matt Strahm before he settled in with 10 K’s on the afternoon. A Clinton Comet to left by Clint Frazier got the pinstripes on the board.
A walk by Gio Urshela and a two-run tater by Brett Gardner to left resulted in a Gardy Party and a 3-2 New York advantage.
PORCH INSURANCE
After fanning three times against Strahm, Gary Sanchez was happy to see him exit following the sixth. Facing Craig Stammen in the eighth, the Yankee designated hitter planted one on the porch to double the New York lead. It was No. 16 on the campaign for Sanchez.
Gleyber Torres extended the inning doubling to right. Cameron Maybin also went to right for a single and advanced to second on an error by Franmil Reyes, which enabled Torres to score the fifth run.
GAME 2
The pinstripes tried to battle back but an early hole proved too insurmountable in a 5-4 defeat.
TA-NAK’D AROUND
Masahiro Tanaka didn’t have it and he didn’t have his splitter or slider either. Surrendering four runs in the first, capped off by a three-run homer by Eric Hosmer to center, dug the Yankees an early hole.
Tanaka did manage seven K’s, mostly off his four-seam fastball and toiled into the sixth. During that inning, consecutive one-out singles by Ty France and Hedges set up an RBI-bunt single by Greg Garcia, which plated the fifth run. Tanaka yielded nine hits on a rough evening.
SCARY SANCHEZ
Leading the Bronx Bombers climb back was Sanchez. The New York backstop clobbered an Eric Lauer offering into Monument Park for a solo bomb in the fourth inning. Sanchez’s home run was No. 17 on the campaign.
And the Yankees are on the board! Gary Sanchez with a monster solo shot into Monument Park. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/nwYh3Mf7ez
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 28, 2019
BATTLE OF ATTRITION
If you’re wondering why baseball is contemplating a three-batter minimum rule and you didn’t watch the seventh inning, what is there to contemplate? With the rain coming down it was a brutal combination of stalling and matchups for the Friars. San Diego used four relievers during the inning.
New York seemed hardly phased by the strategy. LeMahieu cut the Padres’ advantage to 5-3 with two-run bases loaded single up the middle.
Two runs score! DJ LeMahieu's two-run single makes it 5-3.
📺 Stream NOW: https://t.co/wS9kE7JYmB#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/s6YG0KSYoQ
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 29, 2019
Hicks grounded into a force out to cut the San Diego lead to 5-4.
Yet, that was as close as the Yankees would get.
NERDS WIN, YANKEES LOSE
I’m not a huge fan of bunting and I’m not saying they would’ve tied the game off the suddenly elite ex-Yankee Kirby Yates but one can’t help but ponder the strategy in the ninth. The pinch-hitter Urshela set the tone with a single to left. With the ninth hitter Gardner up, the Yankees opted not to bunt and Gardner popped up off the glove of Garcia and reached on a force out. LeMahieu proceeded to bang into a game-ending double-play.
GAME 3
Power pitching, power hitting, the Bronx Bombers dusted off the Padres with a touchdown and extra point in a 7-0 rout. Four home runs and the return of James Paxton bolstered the cause.
PINSTRIPES PULVERIZE PADDACK
Coming into the action Padres rookie phenom Chris Paddack had allowed a mere four home runs on the early season. Turning that stat on its head was the New York lineup. Three of the first seven Yankee batters went deep off Paddack.
LeMahieu and Voit set the tone with consecutive bombs in the first frame. It marked the first time since July 7, 2018, that the first two Yankee batters went yard in a game when Gardner and Aaron Judge went deep off J.A. Happ in Toronto.
Textbook way to start a ballgame. pic.twitter.com/vEZK3F0Pea
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 29, 2019
In the second stanza, it was Urshela touching up Paddack with a solo laser to left. Urshela also flashed the leather in the fifth, taking a hit away from Kinsler.
There's a Giostorm in the area. pic.twitter.com/FobS96sZQV
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 29, 2019
PAX IS BACX IN THE BRONX
Paxton delivered a low key David Cone outing circa 1996 against the Oakland A’s. The Big Maple turned in four frames of no-hit ball, fanning seven. Paxton was mixing the four-seam fastball, knuckle curve, and cutter in baffling San Diego hitters.
NO LOVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
New York would cobble together a couple of more runs in the fifth and sixth.
Following a LeMahieu walk, Machado failed to touch second on a throw from Kinsler and Voit reached on a fielder’s choice. With two aboard, Torres singled to left to load the bases.
A sacrifice fly to left by Gardner would plate the fourth run.
Facing old friend Adam Warren in the sixth, Maybin singled to right, stole second and third and plated the fifth run on a throwing error by Hedges.
G.T. PHONE HOME(R)
After Voit’s first-career regular season triple to right, Torres put on the finishing touches.
With one out, Torres smacked a two-run tater to left.
BULLPEN PICKS UP THE SLACK
Between Green, Adam Ottavino, Jonathan Holder and Nestor Cortes Jr., the pinstripe pen yielded four hits in five scoreless frames, keeping Britton and Chapman rested for the series against that third-place team from New England.
ON DECK
At 36-19, the Yankees will host the Boston Red Sox for a four-game series at Yankee Stadium, starting Thursday evening.
Pitching probables: Chris Sale vs. J.A. Happ, Eduardo Rodriguez vs. TBD, Rick Porcello vs. TBD, David Price vs. TBD. We will probably see German for the Yankees on either Friday or Saturday with the other game being an opener, and Sabathia could return on Sunday.
