BRONX, N.Y. — Whether it eventually becomes an official sweep remains to be determined but in any event, the New York Yankees earned another series victory, mopping the floor with the Minnesota Twins. Not only did they keep rolling to nine consecutive victories and 20 games above .500 but they finally allowed us to breathe and enjoy some laughers.
With Sunday’s postponement, the two clubs will play a makeup game on Monday, Sept. 13, at 2:05 p.m.
GAME 1
It was a laugher turned closer than it should’ve been but also never really in doubt. The Bronx Bombers staked themselves to an early comfortable advantage and the pitching played to the scoreboard in a 7-5 victory. A blowout would’ve been nice but again, good teams win close games.
It only took until the third inning for the pinstripes to pounce on John Gant. Andrew Velazquez tripled to right. The ensuing batter Kyle Higashioka doubled him home. After a Tyler Wade walk, Luke Voit plated two with a rope to left. Voit moved to third on third on the throw and was eventually plated by his BFF Anthony Rizzo on a sac-fly to center.
The Squid and the Higgster were back at it in the fourth frame. Velazquez reached on an infield single deflected by reliever Danny Coulombe. Higashioka followed with a two-run tater to left.
Jameson Taillon provided a representative outing, retiring 14 consecutive batters at one point. It wasn’t until the sixth inning when Taillon ran into trouble, yielding three runs, including a homer by ex-Yankee Jake Cave.
Jorge Polanco, who drove in two more against Taillon, also pulled the Twins closer with an RBI single off Zack Britton in the eighth.
In the home half, it turned out a Giancarlo Stanton laser homer to right off Andrew Albers was more than a tack-on run with this bullpen.
Chad Green yielded a home run to Miguel Sano in the ninth. Yet, he listened to pitching coach in exile, David Cone, in the YES booth and utilized his fastball. Green struck out the remaining two Twins for the save.
GAME 2
Finally, a true thrashing and no heart attacks. The Bronx Bombers jumped on the Twins from the outset and posted a 10-2 victory.
The Yankee lineup worked over rookie Charlie Barnes. It’s almost incredible they didn’t do more damage in the first frame. Voit plated a pair with an RBI single to left. A free pass to Velazquez increased the advantage to 3-0. Brett Gardner’s RBI single to left made it 4-0.
Aaron Judge added to the lead when he poured one out on the porch for a two-run tater in the second stanza.
During the fourth frame, Voit added to his productive evening with an RBI ground-rule double to left-center.
On the bump, Nestor Cortes Jr. breezed through the Twins lineup as if he was wielding a warp whistle (it allows you to skip ahead levels in Super Mario Bros 3). Cortes Jr. leveled up with seven Ks in seven strong frames. His lone blip was a full-count slider that Josh Donaldson deposited into the left-field seats for a two-run laser in the sixth inning.
Walking the talk and capping off a four-hit night was Voit in the seventh inning. Facing Kyle Barraclough, Voit hammered a solo smash to center.
Also taking him yard in the eighth inning with a rare porch pop to left was LeMahieu with a two-run homer to cap off the offensive output.
GAME 3
It’s almost football season and the Yankees threw up another football score! Their 7-1 win secured another series victory as well.
In the early going the Yankees scratched out a pair of runs against Kenta Maeda. Wader (is he officially good now?) notched an oppo single to plate the Higgster in the second stanza.
T-Wade pokes 1 through. pic.twitter.com/CCJ0e4IHJw
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 21, 2021
Wade also played into a huge five-run fifth frame. He collected a one-out double, advanced to third on a LeMahieu base knock to right, and after Rizzo was hit by a pitch, scampered home on a Maeda wild pitch to double the lead. Following a walk to Judge, Maeda was out with an injury.
Facing Edgar Garcia, Stanton smoked a two-run double to left. Then after he called timeout and hit a fake home run, Odor reached on a fielder’s choice. The ensuing batter Voit padded the lead to a touchdown with a two-run double to left.
🖐️ in the 5th. pic.twitter.com/CyFS4VbhnB
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 21, 2021
On the hill, Gerrit Cole was pumping 99 at the knees and on the black and was positively lights out. Cole tossed six scoreless frames and fanned six.
Cole 🚂 shut it down. pic.twitter.com/y2XOvlNx0Q
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 21, 2021
The lone Minnesota run came on an eighth inning homer to left by Polanco off Lucas Luetge.
No matter, in the home half, the squid kid was squirting ink because he absolutely tattooed his first career home run to right off Ralph Garza Jr. It’s what every kid growing up as a Yankee fan dreams about and Velazquez made his come true.
The Squid from the Bronx. 🐙 pic.twitter.com/7ExVi6BpJe
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 21, 2021
Albert Abreu was touching off triple digits in the ninth inning to lock down the victory.
ON DECK
At 72-52, the Yankees travel to Atlanta for a two-game set against the Atlanta Braves, starting Monday evening.
Pitching probables, Jordan Montgomery vs. TBD,
