Nestor Cortes pitched 5 solid innings of 1-run ball, and the Yankee bombers ripped Philly pitchers for 8 runs on 9 hits with 2 homers, in the easy win at Yankee Stadium on a fairly-temperate-for-early-April Monday night.
The Yank batters put immediate pressure on Philadelphia — loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the 1st — Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres then knocking in runs.
In the 3rd Gleyber Torres ripped a bomb to right center, and in the 5th Ratso Anthony Rizzo hit a 2-run bomb high into the night sky and into the right-field seats — and the rout was on.
The Yankee bullpen was spotless as usual. Here come 102 wins.
1. Gleyber Good
Don’t be so fast trading Gleyber Torres. He actually put up near All Star numbers last year and is off to a good start this year — and is still only 26 years old.
He slashed a 24-76-.257 (.310 OBP) last season in a year of historically low averages. Those numbers were pretty close to those of his great rookie season, and were All Star caliber. He also played a near Gold Glove 2nd base.
In this game, after the Yankees loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the 1st, Giancarlo Stanton grounded to shortstop to score a run — and Gleyber stepped up with 2nd and 3rd, 1 out — and hit an infield single to the pitcher to make it 2-0.
In the 3rd, Gleyber Ripped a homer to right center — the 100th of his career. NY 3 Philly 0.
After the game, Gleyber said he is working to be more patient at the plate this year and “put the ball in play a little more” — to not be overly aggressive and strike out as much.
2. Cortes the Conqeuror
That was really all Nestor Cortes needed. He used mostly his low-90’s 4-seam fastball, and 87-mph cutter, intermixing a 76-mph Sweeper and 82-mph changeup to keep the Phillies at bay.
Nestor survived a runner-on-2nd-2-out single to right in the 5th, when he picked Franchy Cordero‘s overthrow to home and RIFLED it to 3rd to nab the runner who had run past the bag — ending the inning. The defensive play of the game.
Nestor Cortes. Athlete. pic.twitter.com/vKw7CjjVK6
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 4, 2023
Afterwards, Franchy said the ball slipped out of his hand, and “it’s a good thing that Nestor is such a good athlete.” Cortes said he told Franchy, “good thing you overthrew that ball because if you didn’t I’d still be pitching out there.”
Nestor allowed 7 hits, but 1 run in 5 innings, and left with an 8-1 lead.
3. Rizzo BOMB
Anthony Rizzo made it 5-1 with a TOWERING 2-run BOMB into the second deck in right in the 5th.
Rizz back to Biz. #TeamRizzo pic.twitter.com/v1YeW0gpVG
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 4, 2023
4. Hicks Played Left
A day after Aaron Hicks answered a question from the media and said he wanted to play every day and didn’t know what his role was — Boone had him in left field.
Hicks’ public comments didn’t go over well with Yankee fans on Twitter — complaining publicly about playing time after his generally poor play the last few seasons played himself out of a regular position — and caused the Yanks to trade for a new centerfielder, Harrison Bader. It was the second time Hicks has told the press of his displeasure — publicly asking to be traded in early September last year in the middle of a playoff race — a season in which he had 453 plate appearances.
But Hicks is a switch hitter with power who can work the walk and hit for one of the higher OBP’s on the team — and is only 33 yrs old — so Boone had him in left, where he went 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
He was fairly loudly booed when he made out.
5. Franchy Rips One
The Yankees played some tricks on Yankee fans at the start of the season — bringing veteran reliever Jimmy Cordero with them North after he had a terrific Spring training, and then as the season started, they signed veteran outfielder Franchy Cordero.
Franchy is a 28-year-old lefty bat who was with Boston last year, where he slashed 8-29-219 (.300 OBP) in 242 At Bats.
Franchy started in right field in this game — over Oswaldo Cabrera who just had 2 hits on Sunday. It’s a good think Hicks started in left can you imagine if Franchy got to start over Hicks?
But Franchy added a lefty bat to the lineup and in the 5th after Rizzo’s homer, Stanton walked, Gleyber walked, and Franchy doubled them both home. NY 7 Philly 1.
Franchy's first knock in Pinstripes 🙌 pic.twitter.com/GBtW7d1U6F
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 4, 2023
Jose Trevino small-balled a single to center to make it 8-1 — the final score.
Trevi Time ⏰ pic.twitter.com/fu1MJayJiv
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 4, 2023
5. Bullpen Spotless
The Yankees — full of surprises — trotted out righthander Ian Hamilton for the 6th and 7th and he pitched spotless ball utilizing his Slambio pitch. Hamilton is a 28-yr-old right hander who was with Minnesota last year and impressed in Spring Training.
The Yanks had just put Hamilton on the roster from AAA before the game after sending Jhony Brito to the minors after his great start Sunday (NY will not need a 5th starter for a while so Brito will continue to start in AAA).
Jonathan Loaisiga got the last out of the 7th and pitched a shutout 8th and Clay Holmes pitched a shutout 9th for the old ballgame. Holmes allowed 1 hit but otherwise looked good.
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