Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Castro Walks Off Rockies, Yanks Score Five Unanswered in 9-8 Comeback

     On an absolutely beautiful afternoon in Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees tried to salvage a victory in the final game of the two game series with the Colorado Rockies. Carsten Charles Sabathia took the ball for New York this afternoon, carrying alongside a leak best 0.82 ERA and his last seven starts. For Colorado, rookie Jon Gray got the nod to lock down the fourth when against New York in the final time the two teams will face each other. Gray has pitched to a 3-4 record and a 4.55 ERA so far this season. Neither starter would factor into the decision as balls were flying all over the ballpark in this back and forth contest.
     The Rockies attempted to put the first runs of the game on the board in the top of the first when Nolan Aranado singled to left field with Charlie Blackman on second base. But, a phenomenal throw by Brett Gardner cut Blackman down at the plate, keeping the game scoreless. In last night's competition, the Yankees were 0-11 with runners in scoring position, and early on in the bottom of the first continued the trend when Alex Rodriguez struck out to end the frame, stranding Brett Gardner on second base.
     In the bottom of the second, the Yankees hit the scoreboard in grand style against the Colorado rookie right-hander. Gray let off the frame by walking Brian McCann, who advanced to second base when Starlin Castro singled to left field off of shortstop Trevor Story's glove. Gray then walked Gregorius and put his team in a 4-0 hole when Chase Headley launched a first-pitch fastball into Monument Park for a grand slam.
     The Rockies would quickly respond as they came back to take the lead. In the top of the third C.C. allowed a leadoff single to Nick Hundley, who advanced to third base when the next batter Brandon Barnes attempted to bunt for a hit but reached when Sabathia air-mailed the throw into right field. Charlie Blackmon then single to center, scoring both Hundley and Barnes and pulling the Rockies to within two. Colorado would take the lead in the top of the fourth when Nick Huntley tagged Sabathia for a three-run shot to left that plated Story and Reynolds, making it a 5-4 ballgame.
     New York would again have to dip into the bullpen early as C.C. Sabathia just did not have his good stuff today, departing with a final line of 4.1 innings pitched, allowing six runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out two. Anthony Swarzak came on in relief of Sabathia, inheriting a runner on first from the big left-hander. Trevor Story doubled in Carlos Gonzalez from first base, 6-4, and then scored when Ryan Raburn belted a homerun over the fence in centerfield, extending the  Rockies lead to four.
     The Yanks knocked Jon Gray out of the ballgame in the bottom of the fifth inning as they attempted to mount a comeback. Gray walked Brett Gardner and then drilled Carlos Beltran with an errant slider. The righty was then lifted in favor of former starter Jordan Lyles, who promptly struck out Alex Rodriguez and got Brian McCann to bounce into an inning ending double play. Lyles pitched a scoreless sixth but let New York back in the game when he served up a three run blast to Carlos Beltran that scored Refsnyder and Gardner, bringing the Bombers to within one. Boone Logan replaced Lyles and allowed a ground rule double to McCann and was immediately pulled for right-hander Miguel Castro. Castro promptly gave up a hit to Starlin Castro that advanced McCann to third. The Yankees completed their comeback when Didi Gregorius lined a single into left that scored McCann and tied the game at eight.
      Because of the recent losing streak and the fact that tomorrow is a day off, all three members of No Runs DMC combined to hold the Rockies scoreless through the final three frames, with each guy striking out two. Starlin Castro  sealed the victory when he launched a walkoff homerun into the second deck in left. ending the roller coaster of an afternoon in the Bronx.
     New York has the day off tomorrow and will begin a three-game series wih the Minnesota twins, with the first pitch scheduled for Friday night at 7:05 PM ET.
   

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