Source: FanGraphs
The Yankees matched their run total from the previous three games combined on Wednesday night, and while that usually means a big game, this time it meant only three runs. Those three runs were enough for a 3-1 win over the Angels, salvaging the series finale for New York and halting their three-game losing streak. They went 3-4 on their seven-game road trip. Blah.
I only caught the first three innings or so on television before shifting to the radio for the rest of the night, so I didn’t actually see much of the game and can’t talk about it intelligently (which makes this no different than every other recap, I suppose). I did see Chase Headley come up with a clutch two-out single to drive in the game’s first run after Didi Gregorius singled and Stephen Drew bunted him up into scoring position. That felt like the token run of the day.
The Yankees tacked on two runs in the later innings, thankfully. Garrett Jones took the amazingly homer prone Matt Shoemaker deep for a solo home run in the sixth, then Gregorius singled in another run in the eighth. The Yankees had the bases loaded with one out that inning and got just the one run. Argh. Better than no runs, I guess. The offense did pile up a dozen hits (three by Headley and two each by Didi and Chris Young), equaling their hit total from the last three games combined.
Nathan Eovaldi had another strong start until things unraveled a bit in the sixth, though I can’t really blame him for walking Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. Gotta be careful with those guys and ball four to Trout could have easily been strike three. Eovaldi allowed five singles and three walks in 5.1 scoreless frames. He has a 4.28 ERA in his last eight starts including the disaster in Miami. It’s a 2.61 ERA excluding that start, though stats don’t work like that. The disaster start counts. Either way, seven of his last eight outings have been very good.
The three-headed bullpen monster of Chasen Shreve, Justin Wilson, and Dellin Betances recorded the final eleven outs. The only blemish was a Trout homer off Wilson, which … whatever. Trout’s just awesome. He’s going to hit dingers. Just be happy it was a solo shot. Betances walked two in the ninth before nailing down the save. Dellin’s walked 18 batters in 39.2 innings this year after walking 24 in 90 innings last year. His location just hasn’t been there this year, though it hasn’t really mattered.
How about Shreve though? He retired all five men he faced, including four righties. Righties have reached base just 15 times in 74 plate appearances against him (.203 OBP), and one of those 15 was an intentional walk. Over his last 18 appearances, Shreve has allowed two runs on six hits and five walks in 19.2 innings with 22 strikeouts. He’s retired 57 of the last 68 batters he’s faced overall. What a pickup he’s been. Shreve and Adam Warren setting up Betances and Andrew Miller is going to be a hell of a thing once Miller gets back.
Here are the box score and video highlights, and here are the updated standings. We also have Bullpen Workload and Announcer Standings pages, so check those out. The Yankees have an off-day Thursday and then open a three-game series with the Rays on Friday night. Masahiro Tanaka and Chris Archer will be the pitching matchup. Fun! Check out RAB Tickets if you wanna catch that game or any of the six games on the homestand live and in person. Last homestand before the All-Star break, you know.
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