DJ LeMahieu made a spectacular catch on what looked like a routine game-ending popup that he lost in the notorious Tampa arena ceiling — with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th — to save the game and give NY the 3-1 win. If the ball dropped both runners would have easily scored to tie the game.
LeMahieu…. MAKES THE CATCH!
WOW! What a way to end the game! WOW!
Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeeeeee Yankees win! pic.twitter.com/Zf7KBNr3Gl
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) July 29, 2021
1. Cortes the Killer
Earlier, Nestor Cortes Jr.matched Michael Wacha in a pitchers’ duel through 5 innings.
Cortes piched 5 innings o7f 3-hit, 1-run ball, striking out 5, walking none. He left after 79 pitches.
Wacha, who had killed the Yanks earlier this season, was on his game again: 5 innings, 3 hits, 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, 0 earned runs.
2. Bullpens Match Each Other — Scoreless
Then the bullpens matched each other — pitching scoreless ball to send the game into extras 1-1.
For the Yanks, Lucas Luetge pitched a no-hit shutout innings, Zach Britton pitched a no-hit shutout inning, and Chad Green pitched a no-hit shutout inning (to get the win).
The Yankee pen was matched by Drew Rasmussen (2.1 innings shutout ball on 2 hits) and Matt Wisner (1.2 innings shutout ball on 1 hit).
3. Judge & Yanks Break on Top in 10th
In the top of the 10th, Gio Urshela (who made last out of the 9th) started the inning on 2nd base as the inherited runner, Greg Allen — there is that name again — walked, and Aaron Judge singled in the eventual game-winning hit off Pete Fairbanks to give NY a 2-1 lead.
The Judge secures the lead 👨‍⚖️ pic.twitter.com/5pamb08bsI
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 29, 2021
Andrew Kittredge came in and — with Greg Allen pressuring him with a lead off 3rd — threw a wild pitch to allow Allen to score and make it 3-1 NY. A huge insurance run.
4. Chapman the Save
Aroldis Chapman survived an inherited runner, walk, wild pitch to put runners on 2nd and 3rd (the tying run in scoring position), and the phenomenal game-ending catch on the easy popup by LeMahieu, to pitch a scoreless 10th for the save.
Never a doubt. pic.twitter.com/q2lhWYxG8g
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 29, 2021
Cessa Traded
Before the game, at 1:30 am in the morning, the Yankees announced they had traded the Greatest Mexican Pitcher in their history — Luis Cessa — along with Justin Wilson to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later.
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