Yankees Game 36: Headley comes up clutch in series winner

Carlos Beltran joins the 400 HR club today but Chase Headley's pinch-hit double proves to be the game-winner today.

Chicago White Sox 5 – New York Yankees 7

In a rubber match before the Yankees hit the road, the game went back-and-forth with the Chicago White Sox.

In the first inning against Miguel Gonzalez, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner set the table with a pair of singles, with Ellsbury reaching third on the Gardner single. In the situation, Beltran made the productive out with a sacrifice fly to left field, putting the Yankees ahead by one.

In need of a shut down inning, Masahiro Tanaka retired the first batter but lost command of the zone. After a pair of walks to Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie, Avisail Garcia hit a single to left field to tie the game at one.

The struggles for Tanaka continued in the third inning when Adam Eaton took him deep to leadoff the inning. Two more batters reached but Tanaka escaped with just the one run scoring.

In the bottom of the third inning, control eluded Gonzalez on the mound too.

After getting the first out, Gonzalez gave up a single to Brett Gardner. Consecutive walks of Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira loaded the bases. Brian McCann generously expanded the zone for the second out but Starlin Castro hit it just right for an infield single, scoring the tying run. With the bases loaded still, Dustin Ackley was the third Yankee walked in the inning to put the Yankees back ahead.

The struggles for Tanaka were still evident in the fourth inning.

In the fourth inning, Avisail Garcia led off with a single and Tyler Saladino added in a one-out single. On a safety squeeze, Adam Eaton added another run for the White Sox. Austin Jackson added another run on a single, putting the White Sox back ahead, 4-3.

In five grueling innings, Masahiro Tanaka allowed four runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out seven. He needed 102 pitches to get through this start.

In the sixth inning, Kirby Yates came on for the Yankees and gave up a leadoff single to Tyler Saladino but an outstanding tag by Didi Gregorius assisted Yates. On a steal attempt of second, McCann made a throw slightly wide to the right of second base where Gregorius made a leaping grab and recovered by tagging Saladino on the foot, just in time to catch Saladino before he touched second. Replay confirmed the outstanding play.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Yankees got a one-out base runner when Jacoby Ellsbury reached on a throw just wide of first base by second baseman Brett Lawrie. Extending the inning, new pitcher Zach Duke came in to face Carlos Beltran. On the 2-2 pitch, Carlos Beltran reached a milestone when he hit the two-run home run to left field.

For Beltran, that was career home run 400. He is the fourth switch hitter to reach 400 home runs and the fifth player with at least 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases in his career.

Congratulations to Carlos Beltran.

With the lead going into the seventh inning, the three-headed monster that resided in the Yankees bullpen took effect. First, Dellin Betances.

The White Sox spoiled the formula when they came out firing against Betances. After a single by Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera tied the game with a double to left field. Betances minimized the damage by getting a ground out and a pair of strikeouts, but the game was tied.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Didi Gregorius managed a two-out walk against Matt Albers. Pinch-hitter Chase Headley continues swinging a heating up bat when he took the first pitch he saw into right center field for a run-scoring double, reclaiming the lead for the Yankees for the fourth time.

Reset the formula as Andrew Miller came on for the eighth inning.

After a 1-2-3 inning including two strikeouts, Brian McCann supplied insurance in the bottom half of the inning. With one out against Nate Jones, McCann went deep to the short porch in right for a solo home run, giving the Yankees a two-run lead.

For the ninth inning, Aroldis Chapman brought the heat. After a 12-pitch battle with fellow Cuban Jose Abreu went to Chapman, two more fly outs locked up the win for the Yankees.

On the 10-game homestand, the Yankees were 7-3, including three series wins.

Win – Dellin Betances (1-2)

Loss – Matt Albers (1-2)

Save – Aroldis Chapman (3)

Notables

White Sox

*Adam Eaton – 1 for 4, R, Solo home run (2) in the 3rd, 2 RBI (12)

*Melky Cabrera – 2 for 4, R, BB, 2 2B, RBI (14)

Yankees

*Chase Headley – 1 for 1, 2B, RBI (8)

*Carlos Beltran – 1 for 3, 2 R, BB, Two-run home run (8; 400th career home run) in the 6th, 3 RBI (18)

Current Yankees Record: 16-20