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.
The teams played to no score through three, with Chad Green once again doing yeoman work as a two-frame opener, whiffing three while allowing a lone hit. Southpaw Nestor Cortes, Jr., was reached for a walk and infield single in the third, and retired three straight on outfield flies in the fourth. Astros lefty Framber Valdez had posted three K’s and had given up just a one-base hit and a walk when Gary Sanchez led off the bottom of the fourth at 8:11. By the time the grounds crew came out to cover the field once rain returned at 8:35, the visitors had been blitzed by a six-run explosion.
The first four came with lightning speed, via a Sanchez homer, Giancarlo Stanton double, walk, and first-pitch Gleyber Torres three-run bomb to left. The rain had begun during that walk, and the crew worked on the mound during a subsequent one-out walk to Cameron Maybin, with four already across. During the initial six-run frame Wednesday, a Sanchez three-run jolt and bases loaded hit by pitch brought DJ LeMahieu up with the team up 4-0; he promptly singled for two more. And now, once again, two outs in, DJ came up with Maybin on second after a stolen base. He hit no single this time, but a no-doubt-about-it blast to Monument Park, 6-0 Yankees. That LeMahieu is a greedy kind of guy.
The game was then halted for 38 minutes with an 0-1 count on Sanchez, who rolled out to first on the first pitch after the stoppage. Though rocked, Houston is a quality offensive club, and before Cortes managed to finish the fifth, they responded with singleton home runs from Jake Marisnick and Alex Bregman. But not to have their attack stymied, New York followed with a walk and Torres single off righty Josh James, who would be extended to 42 pitches to complete the fifth. Three of the throws set up Maybin with two in scoring position, following a wild pitch, at 3-0. He swung at the next pitch, doubling down the left field line, and restoring the six-run cushion. Maybin’s pretty greedy too.
Tommy Kahnle pitched the sixth, with Yonder Alvarez adding a singleton dinger, but those pesky Yankees responded with an Edwin Encarnacion two-run jolt in the bottom of the seventh. Sanchez had tied Edgar for the AL home run lead, and he retook first in this stat with his 23rd. From the seventh inning on, the lone drama of this game would be if Aaron Boone could close it out without spending another prized bullpen arm. And it almost worked. If David Hale, who came on for the seventh, could have finished it, he would have earned a second career save, and the hearty thanks of his manager. He gave up a run in the eighth on three singles, then a second Marisnick homer leading off the ninth. Hale got two outs following a walk, and twice pitched to a batter one swing from completing it. Each singled, however, and with the tying run in the on-deck circle, Aroldis Chapman came on and earned the save by coaxing a fly out to left.
But kudos to both Hale and Cortes — who earned his second win — for recording 17 of the 27 outs needed, and keeping the Yanks well set for the remaining three with the ‘stros, and three more with the Blue Jays to complete a homestand on which they are 4-0 at the moment. And of course, we fete the four homer hitters in this, the 23rd consecutive game in which the pinstripers have gone yard. And Giancarlo Stanton, who is not generally being welcomed back by a fickle fanbase not appreciative of his 38-homer, 100-rbi 2018 season (“Hey, he hit 59 in Miami”), and who entered the game at below .200 off of two (!) 2019 games. Giancarlo elevated that number to .294 with three hits.
So for the second time in a dreadful weather week, Yankee fans were rained on and extended to well over four-hour games, which have, granted, resulted in resounding victories. The other two games were played in better conditions, but under threat of rain, but given the outcomes, hey, we’re all in, or should be. Ray Davies, front man of the iconic rock band the Kinks, was born on this day in 1944. One of his many hit titles could describe how eager this Yankee fan is to experience the kinds of overwhelming victories this team seems targeted to compile, All Day and All of the Night.
It’s a sentiment well expressed at this time, even if the strong Astros are the opponent the coming three days. Right fielder and former Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge returns Friday night. As opposed to Stanton, there will be nothing ambivalent about the response the current Yankee fan offers to this hero’s return. And fans with a lot more years in the fold will be attentive to the Old Timers’ Day festivities this coming Sunday.
With multiple generations of fans focused on what could be a magical season, times are good. And they’ll be even better, as long as this club continues to go to,
The 6-Spot Solution
BTW,TYW
YANKEE BASEBALL!!!