“WORLD SERIES BACK ON BABY” — Hoodie O’Neil on Twitter.
What a day for the Yankees. What a turn of events. Down 7-2 in the first game of the doubleheader, having just broken a 7-game losing streak the day before that had them plummet from 1st, the Yanks launched their most incredible comeback in recent memory.
Mike Ford led off the bottom of the 7th (and last inning of doubleheaders during Coronavirus) against Mets’ Jared Hughes, and got on base after a throwing error by Mets’ 3rd baseman Andres Gimenez. But Brett Gardner and Gio Urshela made out and the game was practically over — two outs, Mets 7 Yanks 2.
Ford moved to second on indifference. Then lightning:
- Tyler Wade walked
- Thairo Estrada was hit by a pitch
- Luke Voit singled in 2 runs, putting runners on 1st and 3rd and it was Mets 7 Yanks 4. As Eric Hubbs pointed out, “Thairo Estrada was dead to rights to end the game at third and they dropped the ball. I mean holy shit that was nuts.” They = Mets 3rd baseman Andres Gimenez.
- The Mets brought in Edwin Diaz, and he immediately threw a wild pitch to plate Estrada and make it Mets 7 Yanks 5 with Voit on second.
- Aaron Hicks hit a line drive into the bleachers in right, and it was a tie game!
Or as John Sterling put it:
IT'S A TYING 2-RUN HOME RUN OFF THE BAT OF AARON HICKS! HICKS! HITS ONE TO THE STICKS! pic.twitter.com/wPC5YnmK01
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) August 30, 2020
“Diaz new name is gasoline he blews every Lead“, observed @Casanova5256 on Twitter.
The Yanks won it in extra innings — the bottom of the 8th — off Diaz, when Mike Tauchman singled, moved to 2nd on a Mike Ford walk, and scored on Gio Urshela single for the walk off.
Take this world and give me Gio. pic.twitter.com/Kl6ZjykJM9
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 30, 2020
Diaz is the pitcher you remember, whom the Mets said was their main target in the Robinson Cano deal — they took on Cano’s onerous, late-career salary for Diaz, and gave up some of their prospects (Jarred Kelenic, Justin Dunn, Gerson Bautista), and veterans Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak).
Etcetera
Here is the video of the bottom of the 7th when the Yanks tied it:
Down but not out. @BankofAmerica pic.twitter.com/vNTN2wq02A
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 30, 2020
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=401226195
2nd Game — Deivi’s Impressive Debut
As great as the come-from-behind 1st game win was, there was still the 2nd game — and it was a TREAT — on a best-day-of-the-year sunny, blue sky, 80-degree day in NYC. The Yanks trotted ace prospect Deivi Garcia to the mound and — he didn’t disappoint.
He looked like a future ace — completely comfortable, and painting the corners with deceptive stuff, a good curve ball and fastball with movement. Garcia retired the first 9 batters in order (a perfect first 3 innings) before allowing a hit in the 4th. He had a shutout thru 5 innings.
He has arrived. @Deivigarcia01 🔥 pic.twitter.com/V822iqiOZM
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 31, 2020
Meanwhile Tyler Wade provided the Yanks offense with a homerun in the 3rd for a 1-0 lead thru 5.
T-Wave 👋 pic.twitter.com/CZ8OKFJDg8
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 30, 2020
The Mets scored an unearned run in the 6th after a Luke Voit error at 1st, and Dominic Smith RBI single, but Deivi Garcia got out of the inning by inducing a double play.
Garcia finished with 6 innings, 4 hits, no earned runs, 6 strikeouts. He looked mint.
Boone Puts Sanchez on the Spot, & He Delivers
Jonathan Holder pitched a scoreless 7th and it was on to ‘extra innings’ in the 7-inning game.
Top of the 8th, the Yanks loaded the bases with 1 out — and manager Aaron Boone pinch hit weak-hitting backup catcher Erik Kratz, with the struggling Gary Sanchez.
What a position to put Sanchez in — a sac fly puts the Yanks ahead; a strikeout makes it 2 outs and Yanks need a hit to score. If Sanchez strikes out — all of Yankee Twitter would erupt on him.
Sanchez had a good at bat the day before, when he worked out a walk on an 11-pitch at bat so that was lingering in the mind as the count went 2-2. And then Sanchez did this — a massive, 438-foot grand slam to left.
A Subway Slam. pic.twitter.com/Yws1eKtSlX
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 30, 2020
Cessa to the Rescue
The game wasn’t over. Jonathan Holder couldn’t hold them in the bottom of the 8th, leaving with bases loaded and a run in — the Yanks now nursing a 5-2 lead; the winning run at the plate.
The Mets pinch hit and put in Ramos, who had tied yesterday’s game with a homerun off Adam Ottavino. The Yankees brought in Luis Cessa.
The count went 3-2, and Luis Cessa struck out Ramos swinging.
Ballgame. Double Header Sweep. THE WORLD SERIES IS BACK ON BABY!
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