Yankees Buzz Kill Sunday Afternoon. Cleveland 8 NY 7 in 10

April 15, 2024 paperbacklou 2024 0

All was going good in NY sports on an April Sunday afternoon. The Knicks, down 8 pts with 9 minutes left, had just come back to win a PRESSURE COOKER in overtime against the Chicago Bulls to end the NBA season in 2nd place with a 50-32 record.

The Yankees, up 3-0 early on an Aaron Judge 3-run BOMB, found themselves losing 5-4 after Nestor Cortes pitched well early but got knocked out in the 5th. However, Anthony Volpe hit a CLUTCH, 2-out RBI double in the 9th to tie the game, and NY took a 7-5 lead with 2 runs in the top of the 10th — on an Aaron Judge walk and Anthony Rizzo bases-clearing, 2-RBI single.

Just when it looked like it would be a great Sunday for Knick and Yankee fans — the Yanks ran themselves out of another run in the top of the 10th when NY pinch runner Kevin Smith was out at the plate on a 3-2-3 double play (1st baseman to catcher to 1st base).

And then Caleb Ferguson couldn’t hold the door on the Guardians in the bottom of the 10th — single, groundout, double, grounder to Volpe who dropped the ball momentarily and just missed getting the runner at home. Tie game and then a sac fly and Cleveland had the 8-7 win.

“I thought Nestor was alright,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards about Cortes. “I thought he ran out of gas. and had to throw a lot of pitches. Man they fouled a lot of balls off; they just got his pitch count up. I think it was mid 90’s by the time I took him out there. But overall I thought his stuff was good; I thought his fastball really played. They just wore him down by fouling pitches off, and we gave them a few extra outs there early in the game, just made his day longer.”

Those extra outs were due to 2 errors by Anthony Rizzo, one in the 1st inning and one in the 2nd, that each extended the inning.

About his performance, Nestor had this to say:

“I felt like my stuff was really good overall,” said Nestor Cortes afterwards. “For the most part I was 0-2, 1-2 to a lot of guys, but then was trying to be too fine with the corners. I wasn’t getting enough early contact in play and that’s why pitch count was a little up there early.”

NY falls to 12-4, although they still took the series from Cleveland 2 games to 1. The Guardians improve to 10-5.

1. Judge 3-Run BOMB Puts NY Up 3-0 in 3rd

All looked good early when Aaron Judge — who has been heating up at the plate after a cold start to the season — ROCKED A BLAST to left off Logan Allen for a 3-0 Yankee lead in the top of the 3rd.

2. Cortes Good Early; Allows HR to Ramirez

Nestor Cortes was on his game early — pitching a shutout into the bottom of the 3rd — and pitching around errors by Rizzo in the 1st and 2nd inning.

But in the 3rd with 2 outs and a runner on, Jose Ramirez hit a 378-foot homer to left for a 3-2 game.

Josh Naylor then doubled, but was thrown out trying to steal 3rd base.

3. Trevino HR Puts NY Up 4-2

Jose Trevino hit a 408-foot homer to center off Allen in the top of the 5th to get Cortes back a run, and NY was merrily winning 4-2 with Cortes pitching pretty well despite the Ramirez HR and Naylor double.

4. Cortes Knocked Out in 5th

But the Ramirez HR and Naylor double were just pre-cursors of trouble for Cortes as Arias led off the bottom of the 5th with a 424-foot homer to center.

Steven Kwan singled, and Cortes hit centerfielder Tyler Freeman with a pitch and was yanked.

Nick Burdi came in and got the 1st out, but a Josh Naylor 2-RBI double tied the score 4-4.

5. Florial HR Off Weaver Puts Cleveland Up in 9th

Victor Gonzalez pitched a shutout 6th for NY and got the 1st out of the 7th.

Luke Weaver got the last 2 outs of the 7th and the first 2 outs of the bottom of the 8th when old friend Estevan Florial ripped a solo homer to right for a 5-4 Cleveland lead.

6. Volpe CLUTCH 2-Out, RBI Double Ties It in 9th

NY was up against Cleveland ace reliever E Clase, who got Alex Verdugo to start the 9th.

Jose Trevino singled to left to give NY a baserunner — with Jahmai Jones coming in to pinch run. But Clase got Oswaldo Cabrera on a fielder’s choice.

With Oswaldo on 1st and 2 outs, Anthony Volpe ripped a 100-MPH cutter from Clase to right and Oswaldo Raced around the bases to tie the score!

7. Rizzo Puts NY Up 7-5 in 10th; Yanks Blow 3rd Run

Clay Holmes pitched a shutout bottom of 9th.

In top of 10th, Aaron Judge led off with a walk off Tyler Beede, and Giancarlo Stanton reached on an infield single to load the bases with nobody out. Smith came in to run for Stanton. Smith had just joined the team after Jon Burdi was put on the injured list.

Anthony Rizzo ripped a single to right and NY was up 7-5, with runners on 1st and 2nd.

Gleyber Torres sacrificed the runners to 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

Verdugo hit little grounder to 1st — which turned into the 3-2-3 double play — Smith tagged out at home and Verdugo out at 1st.

The failed extra run would come back to haunt NY.

8. Cleveland Puts 3 Up in 10th to Win It

Caleb Ferguson came in to get the save in the bottom of the 10th, but Ramirez led off with a single.

Josh Naylor grounded out into a fielder’s choice — scoring the run to make it 7-6 but NY was looking good — 2 outs from the win with a Cleveland runner on 1st.

David Fry hit a big fly to center — it hit off the wall for a double, putting 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

Pinch hitter Will Brennan hit a grounder towards 2nd — Anthony Volpe was there but didn’t field it cleanly, blocking it — picking it up and firing home — too late. Tie game.

Then Andres Gimenez hit a sac fly to right for the old ballgame.

Etcetera

  • Anthony Volpe went 3-4 and is batting .382 (.477 OBP).
  • Juan Soto went 2-4 and is hitting
  • Aaron Judge went 1-4 with the HR and 3 RBI’s — he is at .207 (.373 OBP).
  • Stanton went 2-5 and is at .250 (.291 OBP).

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401568701

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