It’s not really revenge when you beat a team in May for two pennants stolen in 2017 and 2019 by cheating. But it would be really awful to lose. And so the Yanks exacted just a little bit more revenge on Houston, in a 6-3 win at the Stadium on a overcast, foggy, drizzly evening.
1. Monty Pitched Pretty Well
Jordan Montgomery started and overall pitched well — he had a shutout through 3 innings and at that point some Yankee fans on twitter were likening this game to the great playoff game he pitched against Tampa last October.
In the 4th though he ran into trouble. Staked to a 2-0 lead on a Giancarlo Stanton massive homer (see below), Montgomery allowed a leadoff single through the right side by Yankee killer Michael Brantley, then a little popup behind second to Alex Bregman. Aaron Hicks couldn’t track the ball in the rain that was falling at that point, and the ball fell for a single. Most good centerfielders would have caught the ball. Hicks didn’t. His judgement has been off this year and he’s had some weak throws with his Tommy John-repaired right arm — he has not been the defensive centerfielder he was.
Then DH Yordan Alvarez hit a shot back to the mound that Jordan knocked down reflexively as he fell down and it was bases loaded nobody out. It could have easily been two outs, 1 on.
Carlos Correa grounded out to 2nd scoring the run, and then 1st baseman Yuli Gurriel doubled in a run but Correa was thrown out at home on a perfect relay play — Brett Gardner to Gio Urshela to Gary Sanchez. Gardner played the ball perfectly off the left-field wall, hit the cutoff man, and Gio threw a rifle strike to home, where Gary Sanchez made a terrific catch and tag.
Monty was looking to get out of the inning 2-2 but then right fielder Aledmys Diaz hit a shot to left for another double and run.
After that Monty settled down. He pitched a 1-2-3, 8-pitch 5th and a 1-2-3, 11-pitch 6th — finishing with 6 innings, 3 runs, on 82 pitches. A quality start.
2. Stanton Continues RED HOT
Giancarlo Stanton led off the scoring with a massive 2-run homer in the 2nd off Houston starter Luis Garcia.
Hit the 💩 outta that one. pic.twitter.com/lL6AnBhfO3
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 6, 2021
Stanton went 3 for 4 on the day — his 4th 3-hit game in the last week; he is on an 11-game hitting streak and is now batting .314. Before the streak he was at .158.
Later, down 3-2 after Montgomery allowed those runs in the 4th (above), Stanton tied the game 3-3 with a 2-out, RBI double in the bottom of the 5th.
3. Yanks Rally in 8th Led by Hicks
The Yanks loaded the bases after 2 were out in the 6th but Aaron Judge struck out — he went 0-5 with 5 strikeouts on the day. Just a few days ago he was red hot.
In the bottom of the 8th, with COVID-silly extra innings rules staring them in the face, the Yankees rallied to take the game.
Gleyber Torres singled to lead off, Clint Frazier walked, and Aaron Hicks singled in the winning run with an opposite field hit to right.
It's Hicksy. pic.twitter.com/GdKOGMHG6f
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 6, 2021
Gary Sanchez was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Brett Gardner hit a sac fly for a 5-3 lead.
Giancarlo Stanton topped it off with an RBI single and it was 6-3 NY and ballgame.
4. Bullpen Spotless
The Yankee bullpen of Luis Cessa, lefty Wandy Peralta, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Aaroldis Chapman pitched 3 innings of shutout ball. Loaisiga got the win.
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