Bronx, N.Y., June 21, 2019; Yankees 4, Houston 1 — The best news, after four straight days of squeezing games in around far too many raindrops, was that New York area weather made a dramatic reversal midday Friday, and the 41,000 that showed for Friday’s game were treated to an exciting game of baseball in an evening perfect for it. No [enforceable] law says the summer solstice is required to deliver a gorgeous day, but we got one nonetheless. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 20, 2019; Yankees 10, Houston 6 — The fact that the skies cleared and the sun shone after all-day rain 30 minutes before game time turned out to be a tease, but yet another Yankee offensive explosion just before the rains came back definitely wasn’t. The Bombers put up their third six-run inning in two days. They used two of these bombardments to put an exclamation point on their sweep of division rival Tampa Bay Wednesday afternoon. And Thursday’s gave AL playoff rival Houston a rude welcome to start a four-game set in the Bronx. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 17, 2019; Yankees 3, Tampa 0 — Bristling with one of the best pitching staffs in the game, the Tampa Rays came to town Monday for the first of three against the Yankees, a team whose mound members have struggled of late. Just up a half game in the AL East, the Bronx boys needed someone to step up. Veteran righthander Masahiro Tanaka not only came through, he did so in back-in-the-day fashion. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 2, 2019; Boston 8, Yankees 5 — A successful home stand, and series with rival Boston, ended on a down note Sunday night, as the Yankees dropped a sloppily played game, 8-5. But the good news is that the team got its second starting pitcher back from the Injured List, and both pitched pretty well. James Paxton was great against San Diego Wednesday, but only went four innings. And although CC Sabathia took tonight’s loss, he looked strong, and delivered a quality start. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 1, 2019; Yankees 5, Boston 3 — Another week, another two series wins by the Yankees, a development they ensured by taking their second straight game from the visiting Red Sox, this one by a 5-3 score. Early, this one followed Friday night’s template, with Boston taking a 1-0 lead in the second, and the home team quickly responding with a three-run rally. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., May 31, 2019; Yankees 4, Boston 1 — Second baseman DJ LeMahieu deserves accolades for his performance in the Yankees’ 4-1 win over visiting Boston Friday night. DJ knocked in the first and last Bomber runs of the night, and scored two himself as well. And he made an outstanding play on an Eduardo Nunez base hit bid up the middle in the second after the Red Sox had taken the early lead on a Rafael Devers home run off Jay Happ. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., May 29, 2019; Yankees 7, San Diego 0 — With the rubber game of their three-game series against visiting San Diego coming Wednesday afternoon, the Yanks were slated to face young phenom Chris Paddock. That they were getting James Paxton back from the IL was a huge plus, but there was some concern that their veteran southpaw had not pitched in a while due to a balky knee. Paddock came in third in era in the NL, first in batting average and on base percentage against, and second in slugging percentage. What were nervous Yankee fans to do, given that the team’s streak of series won stood at 12 of the last 13? Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., May 27, 2019; Yankees 5, San Diego 2 — Chad Green looked quite the opener in the Yankees’ 5-2 win over San Diego on a gorgeous Memorial Day in the Bronx Monday afternoon. And after a shaky second inning, David Hale carried the action exactly as long as was needed. Once Green struck out the side in the first, San Diego lefty Matt Strahm almost matched him, whiffing two once third baseman Greg Garcia made a fine play on DJ LeMahieu’s base hit bid leading off. The next inning would be starkly different. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., May 19, 2019; Yankees 13, Tampa 5 — The Yankees climbed back into first place Sunday afternoon with a 13-7 thrashing of Tampa Bay, completing their second 2-games-to-1 series win over the Rays on back-to-back weekends. On a gorgeous day in the Bronx, the teams battled back and forth valiantly to a 5-5 tie through five innings, when the game underwent a dramatic change. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., April 21, 2019; Yankees 7, Kansas City 6 — The Big Maple pitched another brilliant game Sunday afternoon under improving skies, but all he has to show for it is a no-decision and a standing ovation from 40,000 delighted Yankee fans, who would not remain happy for long. James Paxton has now turned in back-to-back 12-strike-out games and has, incredibly, whiffed 24 of the last 49 batters to face him. Continue reading →