The Yankees came off the ropes of a 4-1 deficit, and — aided by the sun — or perhaps Mystique, Aura, and the Ghost of Babe Ruth — came back to stun Seattle, 5-4.
Maybe it was luck — maybe it was the mystique and aura of Yankee Stadium — but the Bombers were aided by easy fly balls to Ruth’s station in right field that got lost in the sun and dropped harmlessly; sky high fly balls that somehow managed to nestle into the short porch in left for Yankee homers; and double play balls that vexed the Seattle infielders.
The win brought NY to 61-49, 2.5 games behind the Red Sox, and 5.5 behind Tampa.
1. Heaney Heinous — then Finds Groove
The Yankees threw newly acquired Andrew Heaney in as the starter for this game. The 6’4 lefty had allowed 4 solo homeruns in 4 innings in his first start as a Yankee and this one looked like it was going to be much worse.
Heaney on the Ropes
Seattle 3rd baseman Abraham Toro ripped a double off Heaney as the first batter in the game. Heaney got 2 outs but then Kyle Seager hit a 343-foot homerun to right for a 2-0 Seattle lead.
That'll do, that'll do 😊 pic.twitter.com/RXP9zrMlsq
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 7, 2021
The Yankees got a run back on an Aaron Judge homer in the bottom of the 1st (below) but then Seattle was right back at Heaney in the 2nd inning: a 1-out walk, double, walk loaded the bases — then Heaney walked Dylan Moore to make it 2-1, bases loaded, only 1 out.
Mike Haniger hit a Big Fly to left that had Grand Slam and 6-1 Seattle lead written all over it — but 6’7 Giancarlo Stanton was playing outfield — and he went back to the wall, leaped, and caught it with an outstretched glove. Good catch and only a sac fly.
Heaney Finds It
Heaney got Ty France to groundout for the final out of the inning — and then — found himself! He pitched a 1-2-3 third inning, and an easy 4th, 5th, and 6th. He finished by striking out the side in the 6th!
Heaney finished with 6 IP, 4 hits, 4 runs, 9 strikeouts! He got the win and is now 7-8 5.45 on the year.
“Huge,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards of Heaney’s performance. “Man he made the adjustment, found it. He was a hitter away from going out; you know normally I wouldn’t even allow him to go that long in the second but our situation today — we needed it. And he stepped up and settled into a rhythm and a groove. He wanted to go back out in the 7th even. I’m just really proud of that effort.”
2. Yanks Come Back
Aaron Judge‘s homer in the bottom of the 1st got the Yanks to within 2-1 at the time.
The Judge to the bleachers. pic.twitter.com/p5ntEspiIg
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 7, 2021
Mystique and Aura
But Seattle starter Chris Flexen then shut the Yankees down thru 5 innings. The Yankees closed the gap against the 6’4 righty in the 6th — Giancarlo Stanton led off with a single, and Rougned Odor whiffle-ball-swung a HIGH fly ball to right that nobody in the ballpark thought would be a homer — figuring it would either be a fly out or foul ball– but the wind and the mystique and aura of Yankee Stadium moved it in the air so that it nestled JUST into the Short Porch in right — making it a 4-3 game.
Rougie down and out. pic.twitter.com/ZrGAE1B1uL
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 7, 2021
The Ghost of Babe Ruth
Seattle brought in reliever Anthony Misiewicz, and after a fly out for the 1st out, Gleyber Torres hit an easy fly ball to right for what looked like the 2nd out.
But the Yankee Stadium sun or maybe the Ghost of Babe Ruth made sure Seattle right fielder Mike Haniger was bewitched — he lost the ball at the last minute and fell backwards trying to catch it — it landed for an error as Gleyber Torres raced to 3rd base.
He just flat-out missed it! pic.twitter.com/usYMlTnFs8
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) August 7, 2021
Pinch hitter Kyle Higashioka then ripped a grounds rule double to left — one bounce over the wall — for a tie game.
The Yankees have battled back to tie the game at four!
Boy, have the pinch hitters come through! pic.twitter.com/wzWdluj0cD
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) August 7, 2021
Mystique and Aura Again
DJ LeMahieu singled Higgy to 3rd, and with 1 out Anthony Rizzo hit a sharp double-play grounder to 1st — but the Seattle infielders were bewitched attempting to get DJ LeMahieu in a run down — while Higgy scored the go-ahead run before LeMahieu was tagged. Yankees 5 Seattle 4.
A rundown allows Higgy to score to give the Yankees the LEAD!#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/xlIijfCHea
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 7, 2021
As Yankee fan Mark Corallo put it:
When Rougie hit the homer, I said, “Ghosts?” When the dude dropped the ball, I said, “Ghosts.” When Seattle blew the double play and Higgy scored, I said, “Definitely the ghosts. Most definitely the ghosts.”
— Mark Corallo (@MarkCorallo1) August 8, 2021
3. Yankee Bullpen Shuts the Door
The Yankee bullpen relieved Heaney after 6 innings and shut the door. Chad Holmes — normally a groundout pitcher — struck out 3 of the 4 batters he faced.
That'll play, Clay. pic.twitter.com/JMQqJAx4Ph
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 7, 2021
Joely Rodriguez got 2 outs in the 8th — the last on an athletic play on a squibbler down 1st where he snared it in his glove and flipped it from his glove to Rizzo at 1st.
Jonathan Loaisiga pitched an uneventful, 1-2-3 shutout 9th — the final out on an easy fly to Joey Gallo in left for the old ballgame.
Etcetera
- Loaisiga closed in part because Aroldis Chapman has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 8/6) with left elbow inflammation.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401228723
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