
Carlos Rodon and the Bronx Bombers picked up Gerrit Cole after The Plan failed the day before, the Red Sox having won 7-1 after being fired up by an intentional walk to Rafael Devers (and hit by pitch).
Rodon muffled that Boston momentum with a strong start, the Bronx Bombers gave him 5 runs to work with, and the Yankee bullpen was spotless for a 5-2 win on a Beautiful Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium; blue skies, bright sun and temps at 80 degrees.
Baltimore lost so NY improved their lead in the AL East to 3 games with 12 games remaining.
Giancarlo Stanton led off the scoring with a RIPPING double down the 3rd-base line in the 2nd, Gleyber Torres hit a homer leading off the 3rd, and Juan Soto walked right behind him setting up Aaron Judge who hit a 445-foot BLAST to center for an early 4-0 Yankee lead.
Stanton added a sac fly in the 7th, and the Yankee bullpen of Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill, Clay Holmes, Jake Cousins, and Tommy Kahnle performed a perfect relay — each one picking up the earlier reliever — for 3.2 shutout innings.
“These games mean a lot,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “Even today you’re kind of holding your breadth the whole way through — just hold ’em off, hold ’em off — and the pen did a great job.”
NY improves to 87-73 and takes 3 of 4 in the series; Boston falls to 75-75. The Yankees win the season series 7-6 after losing 4 of the first 6 games.
Post-game happiness of the win for many Yankee fans was muted as reports of a 2nd assassination attempt against Donald Trump came over the wire an hour after the game ended.
1. Rodon Throws Down
It was as big a start as any this year for Carlos Rodon, after Gerrit Cole got pelted the day before and Boston had all momentum. Not to mention NY was clinging to a 2-game lead in the AL East with 13 to go. And Rodon threw down.
Career-high 15th win of the season for @Carlos_Rodon55 ?#RepBX pic.twitter.com/jhoNFR6BxW
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 15, 2024
- Rodon blew through the 1st inning like it wasn’t there — on 6 pitches — a great sign as most of the trouble he’s had this year has been in the 1st.
- Rodon threw down a 9-pitch, 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd as well.
- Given a 1-0 lead in the 3rd, Rodon allowed a 1-out walk to Danny Jansen, then got Ceddanne Rafaela to hit into a fielder’s choice. With 2 outs, Rafaela stole 2nd and stole 3rd — but Rodon got Jarren Duran to ground out to end the inning.
- Given a 4-0 lead by the 4th, Rodon allowed a 1-out single to Rafael Devers and then a 2-run homer to Tyler O’Neill for a 4-2 game.
- But Rodon hung tough — that would be the last runs he or the Yankee pen would allow all afternoon. Rodon got the final outs of the 4th, and worked around a 1-out single and 2-out walk in the 5th — striking out Tyler O’Neill to end that inning.
- Rodon allowed a double to Connor Wong leading off the 6th — with NY up 4-2. He then got Masataka Yoshida to ground out, sending Wong to 3rd — and was relieved by Ian Hamilton.
Rodon would get the win to go 15-9 4.12 on the year.
2. ‘Vintage’ Hamilton Picks Up Rodon
Hamilton came in with the runner on 3rd with only 1 out in the 4-2 game and was Filthy. “Vintage Ian Hamilton” said Justin Shackil on the radio — as Hamilton struck out Trevor Story on 3 pitches — a sinker and 2 sliders — then struck out Danny Jansen on 5 pitches, including 2 nasty sliders to end the threat and strand the runner.
Ian Hamilton, Wicked Sliders. ? pic.twitter.com/Uk06TVpEfm
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 15, 2024
3. Giancarlo BOOMING Double Puts Yanks Up
Meanwhile the Yanks got Rodon runs off Kutter Crawford, the 6’1 righty who has given Yanks problems.
Crawford retired the Yanks in order in the 1st but Jazz Chisholm Jr.led off the 2nd with an infield single, and Giancarlo Stanton RIPPED a double down the 3rd-base line into the left-field corner — Chisholm racing around to score. NY 1 Boston 0.
Big G plates Jazz ? pic.twitter.com/FUd6DENFM0
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 15, 2024
4. Gleyber & Judge HR’s Make It 4-0 NY
Gleyber Torres led off the bottom of the 3rd with a homer to opposite-field right and NY was up 2-0.
Gleyber. Gone. ? pic.twitter.com/NPYK6V6XEg
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 15, 2024
Next batter Juan Soto worked a walk off Crawford, and Aaron Judge hit a 442-foot BOMB to center off the black ‘batters eye’ for a 4-0 Yankee lead.
445 ft for The Captain ?#ALLRISE pic.twitter.com/Fp439GPxw1
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 15, 2024
5. Hill Picks Up Hamilton
Hamilton came out for the top of the 7th, but allowed a leadoff single to Rafaela. In came Tim Hill the lefty side-armer to face lefty Jarren Duran. Hill got Duran to hit into a double play, then got a groundout to end the inning.
6 Giancarlo Gets Yanks Insurance Run in 7th
The Yanks got a huge insurance run in the bottom of the 7th: Gleyber Torres led off with an infield single against Luis Guerrero, and after Soto struck out, Aaron Judge worked a walk.
Boston brought in Bailey Horn and Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached on an infield single to load the bases with 1 out. Giancarlo Stanton hit a Clutch fly to left for a sac fly and 5-2 lead.
Stanton brings home some insurance on a sac fly it’s 5-2 Yanks! pic.twitter.com/TMzTy1ZngM
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 15, 2024
7. Volpe Continues to Struggle at Plate
After the Giancarlo sac fly, Judge and Chisholm performed a double steal of 3rd and 2nd, and Jasson Dominguez walked to load the bases — bringing up Anthony Volpe who had struck out all 3 times in the game previously. Volpe hit a shot up the middle, but right at the 2nd baseman to end the inning.
The Yankees got 9 hits on the day — everyone got a hit except Volpe and Jose Trevino, who both went 0-4. Volpe’s average is now .247 on the season. He is batting .167 in September (8-48) with no extra base hits, and is hitting .216 (75-348) since June 6th, which has dropped his average from .290 to that .247.
Volpe has not allowed the offensive struggles affect his defense — he has played better defense than last year when he won the Gold Glove at shortstop.
8. Holmes Gets It Done in 8th
Hill got lefty Rafael Devers to ground out leading off the 8th in a 5-2 game. Clay Holmes then came in to face tough righties — and he struck out Tyler O’Neill, allowed a double to Connor Wong, but got a fly out to end the inning.
9. Kahnle Picks Up Cousins
NFL star Kirk Cousins’ cousin Jake Cousins started the 9th — and hit Trevor Story with a pitch to lead off. Cousins struck out Triston Casas but then walked Wilyer Abreu and Boston had runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out in a 5-2 game — the tying run coming to the plate.
Manager Aaron Boone brought in Tommy Kahnle, and he got Duran to hit his 5th pitch to shortstop where Anthony Volpe fielded, stepped on 2nd and threw to 1st for the old ballgame.
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