
It seems like a long time ago when Anthony Volpe muffed the easy grounder for the final out for a sure win against Baltimore, and then Alex Verdugo misjudged a fly on the very next play allowing the Orioles to win.
It was 5 days ago — a 5-day break from baseball for the All Star game and festivities. And on this 5th day, Alex Verdugo drove in the 1st Yankee run with a groundout, and Anthony Volpe went 2-4 with a Clutch 3-RBI double in the 3rd inning that gave the Yanks a 4-0 lead.
Gerrit Cole meanwhile, was in Cy Young form — 6 dominant innings of 1-run ball, striking out 7. Juan Soto was a perfect 4-4 with a walk, and 3 runs scored. Aaron Judge went 2-4 with a walk and RBI. And Austin Wells went 0-0 with 3 walks and a run scored.
All was good as the Yanks started the second half with a bang.
“Will look back one day and talk about playing with generational talents,” said Marcus Stroman afterwards on Twitter. “Unreal to take the field with Soto, Judge, Cole, DJ, and Stanton on the daily. Incredible talent and unbelievable careers from all. Hall of Fame trajectories. Thankful to share the field with legends on the daily!”
NY improves to 59-40, and remain 1 game behind Baltimore which also won. Tampa falls to 48-49.
1. Verdugo & Volpe Make Amends
The Yanks pressured starter Zach Eflin in the first on consecutive singles by Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, but Verdugo and Gleyber Torres both grounded out.
NY pressured Eflin again in the 2nd — a leadoff walk by Austin Wells followed by an Anthony Volpe single. But Trent Grisham struck out and DJ LeMahieu hit — guess what? — a groundball double play.
Finally, the Yanks got to Eflin in the 3rd — a Ben Rice leadoff walk, Juan Soto bunt single, and Aaron Judge walk loaded the bases with nobody out.
Verdugo Makes Amends
Alex Verdugo — who has been in a slump — grounded out to shortstop to score Rice and make it 1-0 Yankees. Not spectacular — but Verdugo did his job and got an RBI.
Gleyber Torres then lined out to 1st for the 2nd out, and it looked like the 1 run would be all the Yanks would get.
Volpe Makes Amends
But Austin Wells worked another walk, and Anthony Volpe got a Clutch, 2-out RBI double to left plating all 3 baserunners for a 4-0 Yankee lead.
Volpe clears the bases ? pic.twitter.com/05rVu9qRNS
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 20, 2024
2. Soto Little-League Homerun Makes It 5-0
The Yanks got to Eflin some more in the bottom of the 4th — with 2 outs, Juan Soto hit a drive to left that hit off the wall for a double, misplayed by the left fielder Randy Arozarena to allow Soto to go to 3rd, and then thrown away by the 2nd baseman Richie Palacios into the dugout to allow Soto to score. NY 5 Tampa 0.
Touch ’em all, @JuanSoto25_ ? pic.twitter.com/38EHuEujlB
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 20, 2024
3. Cole Brilliant
Meanwhile Gerrit Cole was brilliant — in Cy Young form on his Bobblehead night.
Our Cy Guy on his Bobblehead Night. @GerritCole45 ? pic.twitter.com/uMLB8cqwIg
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 20, 2024
“I had a little bit of everything working,” said Cole afterwards. “And then once we got a lead we started attacking the zone. It was pretty good; a couple of deep counts after the 3rd, which, I’d like to get those outs a little more efficiently. But for the most part it was pretty good tonite.”
On the 4-run cushion that Verdugo and Volpe gave him, Cole said “One is big, and Volpe with the big momentum swing with the double down the line just kind of opens that up not only for the next inning but for the next few innings; it was huge.”
Cole threw 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, striking out 8, walking 1. His lone mistake was a leadoff homer to Brandon Lowe in the 6th to make it a 5-1 game at the time.
Cole wins to go 3-0 4.60.
Gerrit Cole’s 2Ks in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/bHKdQrmyAO
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 19, 2024
4. Judge 2-Out, RBI Single Makes It 6-1
The Yanks did it again with 2 outs in the 6th — Soto and Aaron Judge getting Cole back his 5-run lead. Soto hit a 2-out double off reliever Shawn Armstrong, and Aaron Judge followed with a 2-out RBI single.
The Captain comes through ? pic.twitter.com/STgD5tWGNS
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 20, 2024
5. Yank Bullpen Spotless
The Yankee bullpen was spotless:
- Tommy Kahnle pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th,
- NFL Star Kirk Cousins cousin Jake Cousins pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th, and
- Caleb Ferguson pitched a shutout 9th, allowing a 1-out single to Jose Siri but getting the last 2 batters for the old ballgame.
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