Judge HR Ties It; Sanchez Walks It Off. NY 6 Minnesota 5

September 13, 2021 paperbacklou 2021 0

Aaron Judge hit a dramatic, 2-out, 3-run homer in the 8th inning to tie the game 5-5, and Gary Sanchez walked it off by ripping an RBI single to left in the bottom of the 10th as the Yanks came back from a 5-0 deficit to win 6-5 on a beautiful, warm September Monday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

It was doubly sweet for Yankee fans as Aaron Judge had mysteriously been removed from the previous game against the Mets in the 3rd inning due to unexplained dizziness. He looked A-Ok today.

The game was a reschedule of a previous rainout.

1. Gil Bombed. But Pitched Well

Luis Gil‘s 13 shutout innings to start his MLB career are a distant memory. He had also never allowed an extra base hit in a Major League game but allowed two 2-run homers in the 1st inning in this game — the first to Jorge Polanco (his 30th of the year) and the second to Miguel Sano and just like that it was 4-0.

Tuning into the score was like watching a stock market crash — getting one day of green hope (the Yanks win over the Mets Saturday which broke a 7-game losing streak), and then the next day Blood RED in the streets.

Gil allowed another homer in the 3rd — to Byron Buxton — and it was 5-0 Minnesota. Blood Red. Time to buy.

Gil settled down to pitch a shutout 4th, 5th, and 6th and finished with 6 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs, 8 strikeouts, and — importantly — only 1 walk. It was a much better start than his last time out despite the 5 runs.

“Gil came up big for us by putting up some zeros. I know he gave up some runs early but he settled in and we were able to get to our pen with Heaney and a couple of other guys,” said Aaron Judge afterwards. “He really kind of saved our pen going 6 innings for us. If you put up some zeros for this offense we’re going to get the job done eventually.”

Andrew Heaney followed Gil by pitching a shutout 7th and got 2 outs in the 8th before allowing a walk and a single. Albert Abreu got the final out of the 8th. Heaney had done his job — 1.2 shutout innings.

2. Gallo and Wade Begin the Comeback

Meanwhile Minnesota starter John Gant was pulled in the 1st inning after 2 outs — his fastball only clocking 88 MPH while normally it is 95 MPH — there was clearly something wrong with him physically.

Minnesota trotted in a parade of relievers the first two of whom — Luke Farrell and Caleb Thielbar — no-hit the Yanks until the top of the 5th when Joey Gallo led off with a bunt single off Thielbar.

The Yanks finally scored in the 6th when Tyler Wade led off with a walk, stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a foul out, and scored on a sac fly as DJ LeMahieu‘s line drive to right was caught at the wall.

And then Joey Gallo brought the Yanks to within 5-2 with a homer in the 7th.

3. Judge Clutch Homer Ties It

The Yanks still looked dead when in the bottom of the 8th, with 2 outs and Anthony Rizzo on 1st, Brett Gardner worked a walk — the last two pitches high but just missing the strike zone to the complaint of Tyler Duffey, who was removed, and manager Rocco Baldelli, who was thrown out for arguing the ball/strike call. Twins closer Alex Colome was brought in to face Aaron Judge.

The goal of the inning was to get 2 batters on to get the tying run to the plate, and Judge came through — on a 2-1, 91-MPH cutter — hitting a Long Deep Drive to the Bleachers in right for a tie game!

4. Chapman High Wire Act

Aroldis Chapman struck out the first two batters of the 9th but then put on The Aroldis Chapman High Wire Act — allowing a double and a walk before getting Polanco on a high fly to deep centerfield where Brett Gardner tracked it down.

Clay Holmes pitched a great 10th, striking out the 1st batter to keep the inherited runner on 2nd and then get the next 2 outs.

5. Sanchez Erases Gio Bunt Blunder

In the bottom of the 10th — Gio Urshela led off by fouling off a bunt attempt, then not bunting on pitch #2 — taking a strike down the middle, then attempting to bunt on pitch #3 — fouling it off for an out. It was another bone-headed play for Gio since returning from the disabled list.

But Gary Sanchez picked him up by ripping a single to left for the game winner.

6. Gleyber = 2nd Baseman

The Yankees announced before the game that Gleyber Torres was moving back to being the regular 2nd baseman, Gio Urshela was moving to shortstop, and DJ LeMahieu would be the 3rd baseman.

This was after yet another Gleyber error the game before against the Mets — which led to a 3-run homer by Francisco Lindor who would’ve never come up had Gleyber not made the error.

It had us comparing him to former Yankee shortstops Bobby Meacham (baseball-reference lists him as Bob Meacham) and Fred Stanley.

Also:

  • Fred Stanley‘s offensive WAR in 1976: 1.4; defensive WAR +0.7
  • Gleyber this yr: 1.6 oWAR; -0.4 dWAR

Etcetera

  • Aaron Judge went 1-3 with a walk, the homer, and 3 RBIs. He raised his average slightly to .293 but now finds himself 11th in the American League (he had been 9th). Judge is slashing 33-82-.293 (.378 OBP, .918 OPS). He is 4th in OBP and 3rd in OPS.
  • Gallo hit his 33rd homer. His 2 hits raised his average to .199.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401361113

 

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