Yankees Game 85: Victory clings to the review reversal
Didi Gregorius continues his great season with two hits, including a home run, in tonight's win.
New York Yankees 5 – Cleveland Indians 4
After a dismal loss to finish off the series in Chicago, the Yankees made their way to the Cleveland Indians to start the last series of the first half of the season.
Ivan Nova and Trevor Bauer went scoreless through the first two innings but the Indians struck first. In the third inning, Tyler Naquin took advantage of the elevated pitch and put it in the right field seats for a solo home run. Then with two outs, Jason Kipnis got ahead with a 3-1 count and took Nova deep as well for a solo home run to put the Indians ahead by two.
With the Yankees trailing by two, a familiar strong source of offense got them on the board.
With one out, Didi Gregorius took Trevor Bauer deep for a solo home run. Chase Headley and Rob Refsnyder followed with a pair of singles. Brett Gardner came up with two outs and hit a single that brought home Headley, tying the game at two. In the sixth inning, Starlin Castro got on base with a one-out single. Didi Gregorius followed with a single and Chase Headley brought home the go-ahead run on a single of his own. Rob Refsnyder lined a sacrifice fly to left field to add insurance. Jacoby Ellsbury hit a single to shallow left field against reliever TJ House to put the Yankees ahead by three.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Ivan Nova began to run out of gas. He gave up pair of doubles to Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis but Santana had to hold up on the Kipnis double as Ellsbury missed a diving attempt. After a wild pitch brought home Santana to bring the game within two, Francisco Lindor grounded out to first base but an indecisive first step by Kipnis forced him to hold at third base. He scored on another ground out, this one against Dellin Betances but the third out was recorded with the Yankees holding onto a one-run lead.
In 5 1/3 innings, Ivan Nova allowed four runs on five hits without a walk and six strikeouts.
Dellin Betances returned for a scoreless seventh inning and Andrew Miller tag teamed with his All-Star bullpen brother as he pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Aroldis Chapman came on for the ninth inning and ran into some trouble. After a leadoff walk, Chapman struck out Jose Ramirez for the first out. Juan Uribe got on with a pinch-hit single to put two on. After a fly out to left by Rajai Davis; Tyler Naquin hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield where Teixeira could not come up with it. Starlin Castro backed him up on the ball and Chapman went to cover first base. On the throw, Chapman made a long stretch but Naquin reached on an infield single, initially. A review was put in effect and the Yankees emerged with the victory after the decision was reversed to a ground out.
Win – Ivan Nova (6-5)
Loss – Trevor Bauer (7-3)
Save – Aroldis Chapman (17)
Notables
Yankees
*Didi Gregorius – 2 for 4, 2 R, Solo home run (10) in the 5th, RBI (39)
*Chase Headley – 2 for 3, 2 R, BB, RBI (26)
Indians
*Jason Kipnis – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2B, Solo home run (12) in the 3rd, RBI (47)
*Tyler Naquin – 2 for 4, R, Solo home run (8) in the 3rd, RBI (20)
Current Yankees Record: 42-43