Series Recap: Wahoo's make Yankees look like Yahoo's
BRONX, N.Y. — Honestly, I hope you all found much more worthwhile activities to occupy your weekends. Once again, the New York Yankees teased us and then showed us who they truly are, a complete mirage. They were shown up at home by a Cleveland Indians club that had nothing to play for. If you don't believe that Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone and a lot of these players don't deserve to be shown the door at the conclusion of this season, you need to have your head examined.
GAME 1
Wins like this have been few and far between for this group. Momentum, positive or negative, is surely fleeting in this sport. Finally, the Bronx Bombers came out and pounded the Indians like a drum, 8-0.
The home run barrage started with Joey Gallo in the second stanza. Gallo cranked an 0-1 fastball from Zach Plesac into the right-field stands.
Aaron Judge doubled the advantage with a solo swat to center in the fourth frame.
On the pitching side, Corey Kluber looked his best since returning from the IL. Kluber provided the pinstripes with length. He also seemed like the pitcher who built up into a viable postseason starter if the Yankees go that far. Facing his former team, Kluber tossed six scoreless frames, fanned four, and scattered four hits.
The hitting continued into the seventh inning, as Gio Urshela delivered an RBI single to center against his former club. From there, the Bronx Bombers rode some more power. Brett Gardner yanked a 1-1 offering from Nick Wittgren to the right field seats.
During the eighth inning, Giancarlo Stanton crushed a J.C. Mejia slider to left center for a homer.
Capping off the scoring was Gallo with his second round tripper on a bomb to center.
GAME 2
Remember what I said about momentum? The Yankees went from dropping bombs to absolutely bombing. Perhaps general manager Brian Cashman should've acquired a bonafide starting pitcher at the trade deadline. Also not helpful was the putrid defense by Gary Sanchez, dropping a foul pop and DJ LeMahieu's sad arm at third base. It all added up to an 11-3 drubbing at the hands of the Tribe.
Luis Gil didn't give the Yankees any length, yielding three runs in 4.1 innings. Then the human white flags came out, as Albert Abreu got shelled for five runs in his 0.2 of an outing and Andrew Heaney yielded three runs as well. Pathetic.
New York's offense consisted of a couple of garbage time home runs from Stanton and Luke Voit.
GAME 3
On paper, this contest lined up as a perfect bounce back for the Yankees. Alas, games aren't played on paper, they're played on your mobile device. Seriously, the pinstripes had Gerrit Cole with an opportunity to play the role of the stopper, and their "built for home runs" lineup was facing Eli Morgan, who allows the second-highest average home runs per game in the AL. Instead, the Yankees were thumped by the Indians 11-1.
Cole looked off and he's probably pitching hurt. He was spanked for 10 hits and seven runs, including two homers, in 5.2 frames of work. Defensively, the Yankees stunk again, with LeMahieu and Anthony Rizzo (can we revoke his premature initiation to Monument Park already?) booting the ball and Gardner cutting in front of Judge, frustrating Cole to no end.
Offensively, Urshela fired the lone salvo with a homer to right in the third inning.
ON DECK
At 83-67, the Yankees host the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium for a three-game set starting Monday evening.
Pitching probables, A.J. Alexy vs. Nestor Cortes, Dane Dunning vs. Jordan Montgomery, Taylor Hearn vs. Corey Kluber.