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·4 min read

Series Recap: Scrappy, speedy Yankees sweep Phillies

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BRONX, N.Y. — Move over “Judge’s Chambers,” it’s all about “Allen’s Alley!” The replacement player roster kept it rolling, as the New York Yankees swept the Philadelphia Phillies in the Bronx. It was a fun mix of baseball and best of all the Yankees finished the job against a team they should beat at home. That’s four straight victories for this club headed to Boston.

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GAME 1

With Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gleyber Torres comprising the starters from the Opening Day lineup, the makeshift Yankees made do with what they had available. Again, the replacements and some of the big guys stepped up in a 6-4 victory.

Alas, in the early going it appeared as if what transpired in Philadelphia would be repeated win the Bronx, with a pitching matchup of  Aaron Nola and Domingo German.

German yielded a solo homer to right-center to Rhys Hoskins on a 1-0 fastball in the second stanza for an early deficit.

Yet, the scrappy Yankees would respond in the third inning. Greg Allen tripled to right and scored on an Estevan Florial ground out to first for the equalizer.

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However, the Phillies had an answer in the fourth frame. After issuing a leadoff walk to Hoskins, German recorded two outs but then balked Hoskins to second, and ex-Yankee Ronald Torreyes plated him by doubling above the head of a drawn-in Brett Gardner in left.

An inning later though, the pinstripes would punch back. Allen walked, stole second, and tagged up on a Florial flyout to center. For once, the Yankees caught a break on the basepaths when Tyler Wade lined out to Didi Gregorius at shortstop. Attempting to double up Allen, Gregorius threw the ball awry of Torreyes. That enabled Allen to score. The ensuing batter Gardner used every inch of the porch and rang out a first-pitch fastball for a home run.

The big bops would continue as the game moved along. Jeff Bezos went into outer space but Gary Sanchez took Nola to another galaxy with his smash to left in the sixth.

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Giancarlo Stanton wasn’t messing around either in the seventh inning, smoking a missile to left-center off Brandon Kintzler.

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Between Luis Cessa, Lucas Luetge and Chad Green, the Yankees benefited from some pivotal outs by their relief corps. Cessa, cleaning up from German’s mess with a big strikeout of ex-Yankee Andrew McCutchen in the fifth frame. Luetge with a strikeout of Luke Williams with two on and two out in the sixth. Green with strikeouts of Hoskins and Gregorius with two on in the seventh. Also cleaning up from his own mess was Zack Britton in the eighth inning. After allowing an RBI single to Jean Segura, Britton turned an inning-ending 1-4-3 double play.

In the home half, Florial, after a myriad of other outfielders were called up and injured, made the most of his opportunity. Florial smacked his first-career home run on an 0-1 slider from Enyel De Los Santos.

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During the ninth inning, Aroldis Chapman finally looked like he was back to challenging hitters. After falling behind 3-0 to Bryce Harper, he struck him out swinging on a slider. Even the solo homer allowed to McCutchen, he brought the heat. Chapman would follow that with six straight strikes to Hoskins and Gregorius to close out the contest.

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GAME 2

It was almost like a punt game but you get bailed out because the other team jumped offside and ran into your kicker. In any event, the Yankees will gladly take a 6-5 walk-off win.

All things considered, Asher Wojciechowski was about what the back end of the Yankees rotation has been this season. The first-pitch lead-off homer to Segura wasn’t a great sign and his pitch count built up early as he allowed an RBI double to Harper in the third inning but really Wojciechowski grinded enough to keep the game within striking distance.

The Bronx Bombers bats finally woke up in the fourth frame against reliever Cristopher Sanchez. Torres bopped a two-out solo shot to right to get New York on the board.

Later in the inning, the pinstripes put their speed to use. The ensuing batter Gardner sliced a single to left. Allen squared the contest at two with an RBI double to center.

New York would take a seemingly comfortable lead in the seventh inning against Hector Neris. Florial reached on an excuse-me single to third and stole second. With two down, Stanton smartly went with the pitch and plated Florial with a single to right.

The ensuing batter Odor proceeded to crank a 1-0 splitter to right to increase the Bronx Bombers advantage to 5-2.

However, shoddy defense and a short bullpen nearly destroyed the Yankees in the eighth inning. With Britton pitching, Torres booted a ball hit by Hoskins. Britton walked Gregorius, retired Brad Miller on a ground out and walked Torreyes and was so lost that Aaron Boone was desperate enough to turn to Nick Nelson.

Nelson allowed a two-run single to left to Williams, walked Segura, and allowed Torreyes to score on a wild pitch. Somehow, he escaped without the Yankees’ trailing.

Miraculously, the Yankees got another scoreless frame out of Chapman in the ninth and Brooks Kriskie in the tenth.

In the home half, Torres bunted over automatic runner Sanchez to third and pinch-hitting for Gardner, Ryan LaMarre singled to right off Ranger Suarez for the game-winner.

ON DECK

At 50-44, the Yankees travel to Boston to take on the Boston Red Sox for a four-game set starting Thursday evening at Fenway Park.

Pitching probables, Jordan Montgomery vs. Tanner Houck, Gerrit Cole vs. Eduardo Rodriguez, Jameson Taillon vs. Nathan Eovaldi, Domingo German vs. Martin Perez.