James Paxton had a no-hitter going into the 5th and ended up pitching 7 strong, scintillating innings — allowing 1 hit, striking out 12 and walking 1 — to go 12-6 4.16 on the season. He was 11-6 3.76 last year. He has now won 7 in a row (he was 5-6).
“He was on the attack early and often, and kind of had that unhittable look to him tonite,” said Aaron Boone. “All 3 pitches were dominant pitches for him. He was getting strikeouts with all of them. He usually works quick; but just getting the ball and throwing.”
Boone added: “I feel like he’s in a good place, not only physically, but just really being laser focused on what he wants to do going into a game and having his plan air tight.”
The Offense
Gary Sanchez provided all the offense he needed with a monster homerun to Monument Park in centerfield in the 1st inning to plate Aaron Judge who had walked.
We've got the Summer Scaries. pic.twitter.com/tOElECTD49
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 3, 2019
That 2-0 lead off Edinson Volquez (who has announced he’s retiring at end of year) carried through most of the ballgame — until the bottom of the 6th when the Yankees exploded for 6 more runs — starting with a 2-run bomb by Didi Gregorius, and followed by another bomb by Gary Sanchez, and a 2-run homer by Brett Gardner, making it 8-0.
6 in the 6th 🙌 pic.twitter.com/t1PVI5CUuk
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 4, 2019
In the 7th, Seattle Mariner pitcher Rafael Montero grazed Gary Sanchez off the arm with a pitch inside. Edwin Encarnacion hit the next pitch DEEP into the left field bleachers.
The Parrot has been UNLEASHED!
Edwin Encarnacion marks his return to the lineup with a TOWERING homer!
Watch LIVE: https://t.co/SQDlZjLzxL pic.twitter.com/SfgoZ1slOL
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) September 4, 2019
And that was ballgame. Texas right fielder Scott Heineman hit a meaningless homerun in the 9th off Jonathan Loaisiga to make the final score 10-1.
Paxton Paying Dividends
Paxton has been unmercifully crapped on by many on Yankee Twitter all season — as has Brian Cashman for trading for him instead of signing Patrick Corbin. Corbin is now 11-6 3.19 in the National League with Washington, after having gone 11-7 3.15 with Arizona in the NL last year. Of course Corbin signed the big long-term contract that is paying him over $12 million this year and escalates to $35 M a year by 2024 — averaging $23 Million per year in between.
Paxton makes $11 Million this year and then becomes a free agent. The Yankees traded for Paxton — giving up Justus Sheffield, who has had a bad season and was demoted in AAA down to AA, but surfaced with the big club in Seattle last week to pitch against the Yanks (looked good first 2 times thru the Yank lineup then got creamed).
The Yankees will have a decision to make about Paxton this off season — do they sign him to what will be a substantial long-term contract? The playoffs will probably give more information to a decision. Also it is interesting that Paxton is pitching for a contract, while Corbin is pitching to justify a contract. Maybe it makes no difference since their numbers are so similar (especially when you adjust Corbin’s ERA for pitching in the NL).
Eagle Eyed: https://t.co/QSqrxM1RPw
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— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 4, 2019
Etcetera
DJ LeMahieu went 1 for 5 and is batting .331, still leading the AL in batting over Michael Brantley of Houston (.324).
Tyler Wade had a great game in the field and 2 hits. Clint Frazier came into this game in the late innings with the big lead to give Aaron Judge some rest — Judge was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Houston lost and the Dodgers won — so the Yanks (91-49) take over sole lead for the best record in baseball, the Dodgers are .5 behind them, and Houston is 1 game behind.
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