Alex Verdugo lashed a 2-out, bases loaded, 2-RBI single to right in the bottom of the 8th to break a 2-2 tie and send the Yankees on to a 4-2 win over Pittsburgh on a WET, rainy, Sunday afternoon in the Bronx.
It ended the regular season on a high note for both Verdugo and the Yanks, as they finished 94-68, salvaging a game in the 3-game series vs the Pirates.
Verdugo has been Pissed on by many on Yankee Twitter all season — after his great start to the season followed by a 4-month falloff.
The game was delayed by rain by an hour, and played under horrible conditions — from a drizzle to a steady rain most of the afternoon.
Almost Meaningless Game
The Yanks clinched having the best record in the American League the night before when Cleveland lost, so this game was just about meaningless — except NY was still jostling for home-field advantage over Philly and San Diego if any of the teams make the World Series. Philly won and San Diego lost before this game was over — so even that picture was solidified making the end of this game meaningless (Philly gets home field if NY plays them; NY gets home field over San Diego).
Rough Conditions
“That was probably the first time I went out to start a game and the opposing pitcher comes up to me in the outfield and asks me, wondering what we’re doing,” said Clarke Schmidt afterwards about the conditions. “Really tough out there. At times you couldn’t find the rubber from all the dirt that was covering the mound; the cleats weren’t gripping; and it hard to grip the ball because the rosin was so wet so if you touched the rosin it actually got worse.”
“Obviously brutal conditions, but I didn’t have great execution regardless so I didn’t put myself in a great spot,” continued Schmidt. “But very surprised we kinda grinded that one out. We have playoffs coming up; high injury risk; I mean even guys running to 1st base were falling over. But happy to make it through healthy and everyone else made it through healthy, and happy to get the win.”
NY now has 5 days off before playing on Saturday, October 5 at Yankee Stadium vs the winner of the Baltimore-Kansas City series. Pittsburgh finishes their season at 94-68.
1. Grisham HR Puts Yanks on Top
The game was delayed by an hour by rain, and then played in a misty rain that turned into full blown rain by the early innings. The Yanks sat Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
Trent Grisham was inserted as the centerfielder and #2 hitter, and he immediately put the Yanks on the board in the bottom of the 1st with a 2-run homer to right off Bailey Falter, plating Gleyber Torres who had led off with a double.
Take off for Trent ? pic.twitter.com/k7YiANsiwr
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 30, 2024
2. Schmidt Soldiers thru the Rain
Clarke Schmidt soldiered through the rain. He didn’t have the control he normally has — working around a walk in the 1st inning and 2 walks in the 2nd.
Clarke Schmidt’s 2Ks in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/qM4GDzh9t9
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 29, 2024
In the 3rd, he hit Nick Gonzalez with a pitch leading off, then struck out Bryan Reynolds but walked Cruz and allowed an infield single to Bart to load the bases. Palacios doubled in 2 runs and Bart hit a sac fly and Pittsburgh took a 3-2 lead.
Schmidt rebounded by pitching a shutout 4th inning, allowing a 1-out hit but helped by a double play.
The Yanks got Schmidt back a 4-3 lead but Schmidt walked Reynolds leading off the 5th and was relieved. Mark Leiter Jr.came in and would allow that runner to score to tie the game so Schmidt’s line was: 4.1 innings, 3 hits, 4 runs, 5 K’s, 4 walks.
Schmidt finished the season at 5-5 2.85.
3. Gleyber, Grisham Tie It
The Yanks got right back at it in the 3rd after Pittsburgh had taken a 3-2 lead on Schmidt. Jose Trevino worked a walk to lead off the inning against Bailey Falter, and Gleyber Torres doubled to right. Trent Grisham singled in Trevino for a 3-3 tie.
Trent ties it up ? pic.twitter.com/44TWKEkqGy
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 29, 2024
Giancarlo Stanton hit into a double play, scoring Gleyber from 3rd to give NY a 4-3 lead.
4. Leiter Coughs Up Schmidt’s Lead; then K’s Side
After Schmidt walked the leadoff batter of the 5th, Mark Leiter Jr.came in and immediately coughed NY’s 4-3 lead. He walked Cruz and coughed up an RBI double to Bart for a 4-4 game.
But then Leiter started to get his splitter over for strikes. “If Leiter has his splitter going, he’s impossible to hit,” said Suzyn Waldman on the radio.
Leiter proceeded to strike out the next 2 batters with splitters and curves, walk a batter to load the bases, then strike out Cook swinging on a Nasty splitter.
5. Hamilton, Mayza, Weaver Great
Into the late innings on the dreary, rainy afternoon — as all the other MLB games ended these were the last two teams playing.
The Yankee bullpen was spotless, getting them the win:
- Ian Hamilton pitched a shutout 6th — a runner reached on an error by 1st baseman Ben Rice but Hamilton got a double play to end the inning.
- Tim Mayza pitched a 1-2-3 shutout 7th — groundout, strikeout, groundout.
- Luke Weaver pitched a shutout 8th — allowing a 2-out double to Cook but getting the final out on a strikeout.
6. Verdugo Comes Through
To the bottom of the 8th in a 4-4 tie. Holderman struck out the first 2 batters, but Austin Wells was hit with a pitch and Pittsburgh brought in Mlodzinski.
Jasson Dominguez worked a 9-pitch walk and Jon Berti worked a 6-pitch walk to load the bases — and Alex Verdugo ripped the 2nd pitch to him for a 2-run single to right and a 4-2 lead.
Verdugo-ahead ? pic.twitter.com/dqfqIn5sFN
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 29, 2024
7. Holmes the Save!
Manager Aaron Boone brought in Clay Holmes for the save and Yankee fans buckled up for the Clay Holmes Rollercoaster Ride.
Holmes threw 2 balls to Nick Gonzalez, then threw 2 strikes, before getting him to ground out. He then got Bryan Reynolds to groundout on one pitch.
Holmes then struck out Cruz on a 2-2 sweeper for the old ballgame, and season.
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