One that Slipped Away. Seattle 2 NY 1

September 20, 2024 paperbacklou 2024 0
Jazz Chisholm Jr with 2-run homer.

After celebrating making the playoffs after a win the night before, the Yanks went out on a Thursday afternoon in Seattle and let one slip away.

Clarke Schmidt rebounded after a tough 1st inning when he allowed 3 runs — due in part to Jasson Dominguez aka The Martian dropping a fly ball in left with bases loaded that would have been a sac fly. Schmidt pitched 4 shutout innings after that and the Yankee pen shut Seattle out the rest of the way.

But the 3 runs were enough for the Mariners to win. The Martian was thrown out at the plate in the top of the 2nd on an Anthony Volpe single to right, and the Yanks only managed 2 runs on the day — off a 2-run homer by Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the 3rd.

The Yanks had chances against Seattle ace Logan Gilbert — leaving 8 runners on base, 5 of them in scoring position not even including Dominguez thrown out at the plate.

“Command wasn’t there for sure,” said Schmidt afterwards about his 1st inning. “But obviously really happy with how we bounced back after the 1st inning — the outing was a grind as a whole — but to be able to put up 4 zeros after the 1st inning, I was really happy with that. I though Trevi and I adjusted really well to what they were trying to do.”

NY takes 2 of 3 in the series but drops to 89-64 and their lead over Baltimore falls to 4 games with 9 games left. It was a Huge win for Seattle, which improves to 78-75, 2 games back of the Wild Card with 9 games left.

1. Schmidt Battles Back After 3-Run 1st

Clarke Schmidt didn’t have it at the start in the 1pm game with bright sun and blue skies. His knuckle change wasn’t finding the zone nor were any of his other pitches.

The Rough 1st Inning

He allowed a leadoff single to Julio Rodriguez, and walked Randy Arozarena after getting Cal Raleigh to foul out.

Luke Raley reached on a bunt single to load the bases with 1 out — and Justin Turner hit a fly to left that should have been a sac fly — but Jasson Dominguez lost it in the bright sun. He dropped it, a run scored, and bases were still loaded.

Jorge Polanco then hit a sac fly to right, and J.P. Crawford singled to left and it was 3-0 Seattle, runners on 2nd and 3rd.

Schmidt then walked Dylan Moore to load the bases again, before finally getting a groundout to end the inning. But Schmidt had thrown 26 pitches already.

Schmidt Shuts ‘Em Out After That

  • Schmidt started to find himself in the 2nd inning — striking out the first 2 batters, but then a hit by pitch and a single — and Schmidt was on the ropes again. He struck out Justin Turner to end the inning — but was now at 50 pitches already as the game headed to the 3rd.
  • Schmidt got the first 2 outs of the 3rd — a strikeout and groundout — but then again allowed a single and a walk before getting a groundout. 17 more pitches — he was at 67 entering the 4th.
  • He allowed a leadoff single in the 4th, but then got pop out, strike out, groundout — 20 pitches and he was at 87 entering the 5th.
  • And then finally in the 5th — a 1-2-3 inning — strike out, strike out, foul out.

Schmidt’s line: 5 IP, 6 Hits, 1 earned run, 7 K’s, 3 walks — 97 pitches. He did great considering the rough start.

2. The Martian Thrown Out at Plate

Down 3-0, The Martian made up for his error by hitting a double to left center leading off the top of the 2nd against Logan Gilbert.

Gilbert got Anthony Rizzo to fly out to right and Jose Trevino to groundout to 3rd — so Dominguez could not advance to 3rd. That was key as Anthony Volpe ripped a 2-out single to right, and the Yanks gave Dominguez the green light — he tried to score but a perfect throw from right fielder Luke Raley gunned him down at home.

3. Chisholm HR Pulls Yanks to Within 3-2

The Yanks finally got on the board in the top of the 3rd when Aaron Judge ripped a 2-out single, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a 389-foot homer to right. Seattle 3 NY 2.

4. Yanks Leave Runners On vs Gilbert

The Yanks kept peppering Gilbert but he was able to deny them — striking out 9.

  • In the 4th, Dominguez led off with a single, and Rizzo followed with a single to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. But Trevino flied to left and Gilbert struck out Volpe and Gleyber Torres.
  • In the 5th, Aaron Judge worked a 1-out walk and stole 2nd. Chisholm struck out but reached 1st on a wild pitch. He then stole 2nd and the Yanks had 2nd and 3rd with only 1 out. But Giancarlo Stanton struck out swinging and Dominguez grounded out to 2nd.

5. Cousins Scare

Jake Cousins came in to pitch the 6th, and after hitting Rojas with a pitch — a four-seam fastball that only clocked 90 MPH (his fastball is usually 95 MPH). He then struck out Julio Rodriguez — feeding him 4 sliders and getting him swinging on an 82-MPH slider.

Manager Aaron Boone and the trainer didn’t walk but jogged out to the mound with a sense of urgency to see if Cousins was ok — and Boone pulled him from the game. That sent a cold chill through Yankee universe as Cousins has been the Yanks 2nd best reliever behind Luke Weaver the second half of the season.

But afterwards it was explained that Cousins’ pectoral has been tight, which is why he hasn’t pitched in a few days, and his velocity on his fastball was down because he was being careful.

“It (started) a couple of days ago; was kind of cranky and a little tight,” said Cousins afterwards about his pectoral. “Today it felt ok I was just guarding it a little bit. Just kind of being careful with it. My slider felt good today I knew I didn’t have to rear back and let it all go. So I was kind of going with my slider. I felt relatively good out there; just was guarding it a little bit.”

Cousins said this is the first time he’s experienced a tight pectoral.

6. Hill Good — Helped by Spectacular Soto Catch

Lefty side-armer Tim Hill came in and was tremendous as usual. He immediately got a double play to end the 6th.

Hill pitched a shutout 7th, helped by a spectacular catch by Juan Soto in right field. With 1st and 2nd and 1 out, Jorge Polanco hit a foul fly to right that Soto sprinted after — catching the ball while bashing into the right-field wall in foul territory. After several minutes on the ground he stayed in the game, but was scheduled to undergo precautionary Xrays on his right knee after the game.

7. Holmes Holds Court — Helped Twice by Volpe

Boone brought in Clay Holmes to pitch the 8th in the 3-2 game, and Holmes held court. He allowed a leadoff walk to Dylan Moore, and a bunt sacrifice to move Moore to 2nd.

Julio Rodriguez hit a grounder to Volpe at shortstop — and Volpe made a tremendous play, rifling the throw to 3rd to just nab Moore. That took the runner out of scoring position leaving Rodriguez at 1st.

Holmes then got Raleigh to hit a grounder up the middle that Volpe made an even more tremendous play on to end the inning!

8. Seattle Pen Tough

But the Seattle pen was tough — as it was throughout the series.

Troy Taylor pitched the 7th — and the Yanks ‘just missed’ again — Juan Soto working a 1-out walk, and Aaron Judge ‘just missing’ on a HIGH FLY to center. Soto got to 2nd on a wild pitch and all it would’ve taken was a basehit by Jazz Chisholm to tie the game — but Taylor struck him out swinging.

Trent Thornton pithed a 1-2-3 shutout 8th — groundout, groundout, strike out.

And Seattle ace reliever Andres Munoz pitched the 9th — striking out the side (Austin Wells, Oswaldo Cabrera pinch hitting for Volpe), and Gleyber Torres — for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401570760

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