Tyler Wade stole 3rd on the front end of a double steal in the 9th, and Brett Gardner bloop singled him and Gleyber Torres home to rescue the Yanks in a come-from-behind win, 4-3 in Baltimore.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a shutout 9th for the save to complete the victory and also save Chad Green, who blew another lead by coughing up yet another homer — a 2-run bomb in the bottom of the 8th that wasted another fabulous start by Nestor Cortes Jr. Gleyber Torres also got off the hook, as he had booted a double-play grounder at 2nd base earlier in the 8th, only getting the out at 1st base instead of turning the DP.
The win maintained the Yanks percentage-point lead for the top wild card — in a virtual 3-way tie with Toronto and Boston.
1. Cortes Fabulous
Nestor Cortes Jr.was absolutely fabulous again — using his wide array of pitches and deceptively fast 92-MPH fastball to strike out 11 in 6.1 innings, allowing only 3 hits and 1 run. He had a fabulous minor league career and at age 26 looks more and more each start like the real deal.
Double Digit Ks. Nasty. pic.twitter.com/SJS2InnGCC
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 16, 2021
Cortes allowed a homer to Austin Hays in the bottom of the 6th to make it a 2-1 game, NY. He left with 1 out in the 7th after walking a batter — he was at 98 pitches.
Cortes got some good D behind him — from Gio Urshela at shortstop in the bottom of the 5th.
A Baltimore Glove Thing pic.twitter.com/Ny5HzRwoel
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 16, 2021
Chad Green came in to get the last 2 outs of the inning.
2. Gary Robbed by Mullins
The Yanks almost jumped on top in the 2nd when Gary Sanchez hit a 2-run homer that wasn’t — it was brought back in from over the wall in right center for an out — by a spectacular catch by Cedric Mullins.
SPIDEY-MODE ACTIVATED‼️ pic.twitter.com/IkLnJPagHA
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 15, 2021
3. Gio a 2-Run Bomb
Meanwhile Gio Urshela gave Cortes some runs with a 2-run homer in the top of the 3rd.
Gio goes (Camden) yard. pic.twitter.com/Onrt6M6m7t
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 15, 2021
4. Green Coughs It Up
But Chad Green and Gleyber Torres coughed up the lead in the bottom of the 8th — Torres dropping a tailor-made double play ball and only getting the 1st out of the inning at 1st base, and then Green allowing a homerun to Hays on a 97-MPH 0-2 fastball down the middle with 2 outs for a 3-2 Baltimore lead. It was Hay’s 2nd homer of the evening.
BREAKING: Austin Hays is THAT DUDE 😤 pic.twitter.com/fAlVA5bmNj
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 16, 2021
5. Speed and Old Man Gardner = Yank Rally
The Yankees comeback started in the 9th against reliever Tyler Wells when Luke Voit led off with a walk. Tyler Wade came in to run for him.
Gleyber Torres then singled. But Gary Sanchez flied out.
Tyler Wade then stole 3rd base, with Gleyber Torres stealing 2nd behind him. The play was reviewed but Wade was safe.
That set up an epic at bat by Brett Gardner in the rain — he fouled off 3 straight 1-2 pitches before hitting the bloop single into centerfield just beyond the reach of Baltimore shortstop Richie Martin. It was a great read by Gleyber to take off from 2nd and score on the bloop.
Make it rain, Gardy. pic.twitter.com/MRfGPXQupC
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 16, 2021
6. Chapman an Easy 9th
And then surprise of surprises — Aroldis Chapman pitched a 1-2-3 9th — striking out the last 2 for the old ballgame.
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