Anthony Rizzo’s 4-Hit Day Leads Yanks to 3rd in a Row! NY 8 KC Royals 5

July 24, 2023 paperbacklou 2023 0

The Yankees bombed early with 4 runs in the 1st, and small-balled late with 3 in the 8th, to take down Kansas City 8-5 on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

Anthony Rizzo was in the middle of it all, with 4 hits including his first homer in months.

Luis Severino pitched well enough, escaping some jams and leaving in the 6th with a 5-3 lead to get the win.

It was the Yankees’ 3rd win in a row — and although it was against Kansas City who is tied for the worst record in baseball — it erases the bad memory of the 4-game losing streak of last week.

“Just got to keep going,” said Anthony Rizzo afterwards. “Today before the game was probably one of the best pre-games I’ve had in a while in my career, with the guys in there and just the work that was going into it.”

NY improves to 53-47, stays 8.5 behind Baltimore, but pulls to 6.5 behind Tampa, while remaining 2 behind Toronto, and tied with Boston. KC drops to 28-73, tied with Oakland for the worst record in baseball.

1. Yanks Bomb Early

Kansas City started Jordan Lyles who came in with a 1-11 6.05 record and the Yanks lit into him like batting practice to start the game — hard-hit ball after hard-hit ball.

Jake Bauers — just back from the IL — led off with a single, and Gleyber Torres hita 419-foot homer to center. NY 2 Royals 0.

Giancarlo Stanton ripped a single to left, and Anthony Rizzo ripped a double to center scoring Stanton. NY 3 KC 0.

After a DJ LeMahieu ground out, Harrison Bader ripped a single to center to score Rizzo and it was 4-0 NY.

Lyles finally settled down to get the last 2 outs of the inning and then pitched a shutout 2nd.

2. Rizzo Hits First HR in Months

Anthony Rizzo hit his first homer in months in the 3rd, a 364-foot shot to right for a 5-0 Yankee lead.

3. Severino Pitched Good

Meanwhile Luis Severino pitched well. He got out of a jam in the 2nd inning, after allowing a 1-out single to Michael Massey and then a grounds-rule double to Freddy Fermin — Severino reared back and struck out Nick Pratto and Drew Waters to end the inning..

Up 5-0 in the 4th, Severino was touched for a solo homer by Salvador Perez.

Up 5-1 in the 6th, Severino allowed a lead-off single by Bobby Witt Jr — but Kyle Higashioka threw him out trying to steal 2nd.

It was a huge out as MJ Melendez followed with a double. Severino got Salvador Perez to ground out for out #2, but then coughed up a 2-run homer to Michael Massey and it was a ballgame again. NY 5 KC 3.

“A mistake there in the last inning,” said Luis Severino afterwards. “But through the whole game I was on point, making pitches, hitting my lines where I wanted to throw my pitch.”

When asked by Meredith Markovitz why he thinks he’s pitching better now in his last 2 starts, Severino said, “Getting in my lanes, throwing the pitches I want, not trying to over think a lot, just pitch. And Higgy up there does a good job so hopefully we can continue to do that.”

When asked by another reporter why some of the KC hitters had some good at bats against him, Severino said “I mean I wish I could strike out everybody with 3 pitches, but they are good major league hitters. It’s always going to be tough.”

4. Hamilton & King Come Up Big

Ian Hamilton got the last out of the 6th and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th — helped by a terrific catch by Harrison Bader in center to start the 7th.

Michael King pitched the top of the 8th, and things got precarious as King allowed single, fly out, single to make it 1st and 2nd with only 1 out.

But King reared back and struck out Salvador Perez and Michael Massey to end the 8th — NY still up 5-3.

5. Yanks Small-Ball 3 in the 8th

And then the Yankee small-ball cavalry came to the rescue in the bottom of the 8th off reliever Scott Barlow.

Anthony Rizzo singled to center, DJ LeMahieu walked, and Harrison Bader sacrificed them to 2nd and 3rd. Billy McKinney was intentionally walked to load the bases with 1 out.

Oswald Peraza reached on an infield single, scoring Rizzo, and 1st baseman Nick Pratto made a flip to 1st but the Barlow didn’t cover in time — the throw going for an error allowing LeMahieu to score and McKinney to go to 3rd.

A sac fly by Kyle Higashioka made it 8-3 NY.

6. Marinaccio Finishes Despite Getting Banged Up

Ron Marinaccio pitched the 9th it was homer (to Fermin leading off), strike out (of Pratto), strike out 9 (of Waters), homer (to Kyle Isbel), and ground out (by Maikel Garcia) for the old ballgame.

Etcetera

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401472511

 

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