Any Way You Want It

There are 2 hit songs titled "Any Way You Want It." In 1964, the Dave Clark Five hit Number 14 with one. In 1980, Journey hit Number 23 with the other. Both are hard-driving rock and roll numbers.

The 2022 New York Yankees can win a baseball game any way you want it:

* Score a lot of runs? They are 12-0 when scoring at least 7.

* Get great pitching? They are 15-0 when allowing 1 run or none, and 25-2 when allowing 2 runs or less.

* Be clutch? They are 11-4 in one-run games, including this past Sunday, the conclusion of a 3-game home series with the Detroit Tigers.

* Get it done in extra innings? They are 3-1 when needing more than the standard 9, also including this past Sunday.

* In walkoff fashion? They've done it 6 times, also including this past Sunday.

The Tigers got 2 runs in the top of the 4th, but the Yankees responded in the bottom of the 5th: With 1 out, Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled. Jose Trevino struck out, but in his at-bat, IKF stole 2nd. He was originally called out, but the Yankees appealed, and the replay showed he was safe. And then the much-maligned Joey Gallo crushed a home run to right field. This was no short-porcher: It went halfway up the Bleachers in right-center.

Once again, Jordan Montgomery pitched well despite not getting sufficient run support: He went 6 1/3rd innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, just 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. But he left with the game tied -- and just after getting a strikeout to start the top of the 7th. He had allowed 90 pitches. What would 5 more have been? There was no reason to bring in a reliever at that point. But Boone brought in Clarke Schmidt, who finished the inning.

The Yankees loaded the bases in the bottom of the 7th, and DJ LeMahieu drew a walk that put them on top, 3-2.

If Aaron Boone had let Montgomery finish the 7th, he could have brought Schmidt in to pitch the 8th. Instead, he brought Schmidt in too soon, and to start the 8th, he allowed a double and a long flyout. Boone brought in Miguel Castro, and he had nothing, too: Strikeout, then game-tying single, wild-pitch, lead-granting single.

The runner scoring on that play was a pinch-runner, Kody Clemens, son of Roger, who was in the ballpark. Like his father did in Boston and Toronto, Kody wears Number 21. Because K is the symbol for "strikeout," Roger gave all 4 of his sons 4-letter names starting with K: Koby, Kory, Kacy and Kody. Koby got as far as Triple-A ball, Kacy to Double-A, and Cory now plays for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the independent Atlantic League.

The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the 8th. Leading off, Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch. Josh Donaldson struck out. Rizzo stole 2nd, and advance to 3rd when Tiger 2nd baseman Jonathan Schoop (who used to drive the Yankees crazy hitting against them for the Baltimore Orioles) mishandled the throw from catcher Eric Haase. Gleyber Torres grounded to 3rd, and 3rd baseman Jeimer Candelario made a bad throw. Tie ballgame.

Wandy Peralta pitched a scoreless 9th, but the Yankees couldn't get the 1 more run they needed. Michael King stranded the ghost runner in the 10th by striking out the side. Aaron Judge started the bottom of the 10th on 2nd. Rizzo singled him over to 3rd. Boone called for the 2nd & home double steal, but it only worked well enough for Rizzo to reach 2nd, as the Tigers didn't take the bait. After all, the only run that mattered was Judge on 3rd.

Donaldson brought him home with a sacrifice fly to left. Yankees 5, Tigers 4. WP: King (3-1). No save. LP: Gregory Soto (2-3).

*

The Yankees have now won 6 in a row, 10 of their last 12. They are 39-15 overall, the best record in Major League Baseball. In the American League Eastern Division, they are 7 1/2 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays, 7 in the loss column; 8 ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays; 12 ahead of the Boston Red Sox; and 17 ahead of the Orioles.

Compared to the other Division leaders, in the race for Playoff position: They are 8 games ahead of the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins, 4 ahead of the AL Western-leading Houston Astros, 4 ahead of the National League Western-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, 7 ahead of the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, and 3 games, 4 in the loss column, ahead of the NL Eastern-leading Mets.

"Yeah, but the Mets are doing this without... " Spare me: No team has had injury problems like the Yankees have. Except maybe Arsenal, and they don't even play the same sport, much less on the same side of the Atlantic Ocean. (Though they will play 3 games in America in July.)

Regarding the Astros: Although the Yankees had home-field advantage over them in the 2015 AL Wild Card Game, they did not have it in either the 2017 or the 2019 AL Championship Series. Home field could be critical.

Tonight, the Yankees begin a 3-game roadtrip to Minnesota, before coming home to face the Chicago Cubs in an Interleague matchup. Then comes 3 home games against the Rays, followed by another big roadtrip: 3 in Toronto, 3 in Tampa Bay.

That's 3 against the Jays, 6 against the Rays. The Yankees could have the AL East all but wrapped up in June, and concentrate on keeping key players healthy. In which case, maybe I shouldn't complain when a starting pitcher is taken out too soon, or a key hitter gets a day off. Maybe it's all part of the plan.

Somewhere, there must be a meme of Yankee general manager Brian Cashman as Heath Ledger's Joker, asking, "Do I look like a guy with a plan?" No, he doesn't.

At this point, I don't care. Any way I want it -- and "it" is winning the World Series -- via a plan, or no plan at all, that's all right by me.