Sunday, April 17, 2016

Yankees Defeat Seattle, 4-3

    Today was the day that Yankee fans have been waiting for. It was also a day confirming the concerns, or lack there of, of manager Joe Gerardi. Who, in a post game interview yesterday, stated that he was not concerned with Yankees lack of offense, adding that it will come around. He went on to say that he was concerned with the inability for the starting pitching to go deep into ballgames and overuse of the bullpen. Well, a game that saw the top four hitters in the Yankees order with six hits, a homerun by Alex Rodriguez hitting out of the six-hole and a well pitched seven innings of work by Masahiro Tanaka put all the Yankees' concerns to bed, if not only for a day.
      The game started out looking like it was going to be another long day for the boys in pinstripes. Throwing north of 25 pitches in the top of the first, Tanaka loaded the bases, with no ball hit hard enough to break a pain of glass, yet still allowing a run to score on an RBI ground out by third baseman Kyle Seager. But, after a quick top of the second, Alex Rodriguez unloaded on an Iwakuma fastball into the left-field bleachers, giving the Yanks a 2-1 lead and saying goodbye to a 0 for 19 slump. Then, in the bottom of the third, after Elsbury singled and stole second base, Brett Gardner drove him in with an RBI ground-rule double, ending the Bombers 0 for 26 with runners in scoring position slide.
     Tanaka would labor in the fourth and fifth innings of the game, allowing two more runs to score on hits by Steve Clevenger and Seth Smith. And, if you have been following along this season, you know that the fifth inning has been one of nightmares for the Yankees. But, not today. After Brett Gardner got on base with one of his three hits, he advanced to third on a hit by Carlos Beltran. With runners on first and third, Teixeira watched as ball three got past the catcher and celebrated as Gardner scored the go-ahead run.  As was the case yesterday, the eighth and ninth innings were sewn up by the two-headed monster of Betances and Miller. Both bullpen bullies struck out the side for a second consecutive games and their respective innings of work.
     The Yankees finally get back into the win column with a win this afternoon, ending their four game losing streak, and hopefully, turning a corner offensively. With a day off tomorrow, the Yankees welcome the Oakland Athletics to town for a three-game set, beginning on Tuesday at 7:05 PM.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)