The Chicago White Sox came into Yankee Stadium II this weekend with the best record in the American League. Since the teams have been in separate Divisions since 1969, and have never faced each other in the Playoffs, these may have been -- however early in the season they were -- the most significant games between the South Bronx and the South Side since the end of the 1964 AL Pennant race, in which the Yankees finished 1 game ahead of the White Sox (and 2 ahead of the Baltimore Orioles).
The Friday night game was a struggle that the Yankees won. The Saturday afternoon game was considerably easier, and the Yankees won that, too. The Sunday afternoon game turned out to be harder than it looked like it would be at first.
Jameson Taillon, brought to the Yankee rotation this season on a slim hope that he could once again be the pitcher he was in 2018, had his best start in Pinstripes, going 5 innings, allowing no runs, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks, with 5 strikeouts. If he's the "weak link" in our rotation, I'll take it.
But every pitcher needs run support. In the 1st inning, Luke Voit reached 1st base on an error, Aaron Judge singled him over, Gio Urshela moved them over with a groundout, and the scorching-hot bat of Gleyber Torres singled them home.
It was still only 2-0 Yankees going to the bottom of the 5th, so Taillon had to keep it close, and did. DJ LeMahieu led off that inning with a single, Voit and Judge drew walks to load the bases (and you know what can happen with those), and Urshela's grounder got LeMahieu home. Unfortunately, it was a double play, preventing more runs, which would matter.
The White Sox closed to within 3-2 in the top of the 6th, when Wandy Peralta gave up a home run to José Abreu. But in the bottom of the inning, Gary Sanchez drew a leadoff walk (and you know what can happen with those), followed by a Clint Frazier single that got Sanchez over to 3rd, and a Brett Gardner fielder's choice that got Sanchez home. 4-2 Yankees.
But Chad Green gave up a home run to Yasmani Grandal in the top of the 7th. It was still 4-3 New York going into the top of the 9th.
Aroldis Chapman entered today's game with 65 batters faced and no earned runs. That was the most batters faced without allowing an ER by any pitcher this season. He was also 11-for-11 in save opportunities. But he gave up a game-tying home run to Andrew Vaughn. Then he made the inning more Aroldislike, giving up a walk and a wild pitch, before getting out of it. His ERA went from 0.00 to 0.47.
It doesn't seem fair that a pitcher who blows a lead should get credit for the win if the team then wins the game. On the other hand, I don't particularly care how my team wins a game, as long as we don't break the rules. (I am not a Boston sports or Houston Astros fan.)
Aaron Bummer pitched the bottom of the 9th for the Pale Hose, and lived up to his name. He gave up a leadoff single to Frazier. He struck Gardner out, but Frazier stole 2nd. With 1st base open, LeMahieu was intentionally walked. But Tyler Wade hit a soft grounder, fielded by 2nd baseman Nick Madrigal, who couldn't make a play at any base.
Tony La Russa, the South Siders' elderly manager, brought Liam Hendriks in to pitch to Judge, probably hoping to strike him out as much as to get him to ground him into a double play.
Judge had never gotten a walkoff hit in his career, at any level. He still hasn't. In this case, he didn't need to. Cliché Alert: A walk is as good as a hit. Not always, but, this time, it was. And... Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you.
Yankees 5, White Sox 4. WP: Chapman (4-0). No save. LP: Bummer (0-3). Sweep.
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So, 47 games into the regular season, or 29 percent, the Yankees are 28-19. They are half a game out of 1st place, even in the loss column with the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, who are both 29-19. The Toronto Blue Jays are 23-22, 4 1/2 back. The Baltimore Orioles are 17-29, 11 games back.
There have been injuries and illnesses, and still, the Yankees are right in the Pennant race. Because the pitching has been (mostly) good, and the hitting has been just enough.
The Yankees have today off, and then the Blue Jays come to town for 3 games. Then a trip to Detroit, then back home for 4 games against the Rays and 3 against the Red Sox, a week that could go a long way toward shaping the rest of the season.
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