Pitchers’ Duel, Triple Play, Walkoff. 5 Reasons Why NY 2 Texas 1 on 5-21-21

May 22, 2021 paperbacklou 2021 0

In a great game between two elite teams that turned into a classic, the Yankees took on the 1st place, Central-leading Chicago White Sox, who entered with a 26-16 record, and their ace Carlos Rodon — who has pitched a no hitter this year and was 5-1 1.47 coming in.

The Yanks threw Jordan Montgomery at Rodon and the two locked into a classic pitchers’ duel — 0-0 thru 6 innings with both pitchers striking out nearly everyone in site. Montgomery won the duel with 7 shutout innings, but his bullpen blinked and it was 1-1 to the bottom of the 8th.

The Yanks blew a 1st & 3rd with nobody out bottom of the 8th, and Texas put 1st and 2nd with nobody out in the top of the 9th against Aroldis Chapman. But a triple play saved the day, and then the Yankees walked it off with 3 straight singles in the bottom of the 9th.

Classic baseball.

A baseball classic.

Yankee fans have now seen a no-hitter, a triple play, and a walk-off win in the last 3 days — 3 straight Yankee victories where they scored 2 runs (winning 2-0, 2-0, and 2-1). NY is now 26-19, 1.5 behind the Red Sox.

1. Pitchers’ Duel

Jordan Montgomery did not pitch well in his last start and was shaky in the two before that — so this was a big game for him personally, as it was for the Yankees against the 1st place White Sox. And boy did Monty rise to the occasion again, just like he did in last year’s playoff game vs Tampa.

Monty, or Gumby as some call him by his childhood nickname, matched Rodon shutout-inning-for-shutout-inning, and almost strikeout for strikeout.

Rodon was throwing rising, 98 MPH heaters for strikeouts — he struck out 13 Yankees in 6 shutout innings, allowing only 2 hits. But Monty was right back at him, striking out 11 in 7 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits. Neither pitcher walked a batter.

The two pitchers combined to strike out 24 of the 39 outs made thru the middle of the 7th.

2. Yankees Take the Lead

Rodon was at 95 pitches and was gone for the bottom of the 7th, relieved by Michael Kopech. Kopech struck out Gio Urshela but Gleyber Torres ripped an opposite field homer to right for a Yankee 1-0 lead. HUGE.

3. Yank Bullpen Blinked

Jonathan Loaisiga entered for the top of the 8th. He has pitched so well this year he has now climbed above Chad Green as the Yanks’ primary setup man to Chapman.

But Loaisiga came in just a little bit off — throwing two balls to the first batter Adam Eaton, and falling behind 3-1 before walking him. That was all it took. A groundout put Eaton to 2nd, and a slap single by Nick Madrigal, who practically threw his bat at the ball, tied the game 1-1.

Loaisiga then allowed a looping single to right that wasn’t a single because Aaron Judge came in, fielded it and threw a strike to 2nd to get the runner — it became a groundout to right field for 2 outs. HUGE.

Loaisiga got the final groundout to end the inning but the damage was done and Monty had lost his win.

(PS: you can lose a win but you can’t win a loss.)

3a. Almost Won It in 8th

Kopech was still pitching in the 8th, and allowed a leadoff single to Miguel Andujar, and a single to Brett Gardner that moved pinch runner Tyler Wade to 3rd. Chicago relieved Kopech with Evan Marshall.

1st and 3rd nobody out — it seemed the Yanks were sure to get a run. But DJ LeMahieu hit a grounder to short in the drawn-in infield and they had Wade by 5 feet at home.

Then a line drive by Luke Voit caught by the 3rd baseman who rifled it to 2nd to catch Gardner for the double play.

4. The Triple Play

Aroldis Chapman walked the leadoff batter and DH Yermin Mercedes in the 9th, then made an error on a bunt back to him and it was 1st and 2nd nobody out and it looked like the Yanks were going to lose this one.

But left fielder Andrew Vaughn hit a hard grounder to 3rd where Gio Urshela snared it, stepped on 3rd, then threw it to Rougned Odor at 2nd, to Luke Voit at 1st — Triple Play!

5. The Walk Off

In the bottom of the 9th, with Marshall still pitching, Aaron Judge led off with a single, Gio Urshela singled, and Gleyber Torres singled for the Walk Off win and celebration. The winning rally happened in like 3 minutes; bing-bing-bing. The Yankees win! The Yankees winnnnnnn!

Gleyber drove in both Yankee runs on the day — the go-ahead homer and the game-winning RBI — and ps has been playing error-free, excellent defense at shortstop the last month.

Etcetera

The Yanks got 8 hits:

  • Miguel Andujar went 2 for 3 — it is great to have him in the lineup, playing left field.
  • Gleyber Torres went 2 for 4 and has raised his average to .254.
  • Aaron Judge went 2 for 4 and is hitting .302.
  • The other 2 Yankee hits were by Brett Gardner and Gio Urshela.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401227712

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