Sunday, July 3, 2022

Cortes, Gallo Trustworthy vs. Guardians -- Chapman Not Trusted

Did you know that the New York Yankees have never, ever lost to the Cleveland Guardians? No, not even in Spring Training. (The Guardians train in Arizona, the Yankees in Florida, so they can't meet.) The Yankees are 5-0 against them.

Okay, the actual record between the franchises is Yankees, 1,148, Cleveland 906. After all, the Cleveland franchise of the American League, when you count a team's inception from when they began in their current city, tied for the 6th-oldest in Major League Baseball.

Anyway, last night, these 2 teams played a regularly-scheduled game, what turned out to be the nightcap of a rain-forced doubleheader. Nestor Cortes gave up a home run in the bottom of the 1st inning, but otherwise cruised, getting back to his "Nasty Nestor" self after some rough outings, going 6 innings, allowing no other runs, only 2 other hits, and no walks, striking out 6.

Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton backed him up with back-to-back home runs in the top of the 4th inning. They also hit back-to-back singles to lead off the 7th, chasing Guardians starter Aaron Civale. Reliever Enyel De Los Santos was no help: Josh Donaldson doubled home Rizzo. Miguel Andújar grounded into a fielder's choice, and Stanton was thrown out at the plate. De Los Santos tried to pick Andújar off 1st, but threw the ball away, and Donaldson scored.

You know you're not going well when you walk Joey Gallo, the man with the .281 on-base percentage. De Los Santos walked Joey Gallo. Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled home Andújar. And Kyle Higashioka hit a sacrifice fly to score Gallo.

Michael King pitched a scoreless 7th and a scoreless 8th. Wandy Peralta got into trouble in the 9th, and, rather than bring in Aroldis Chapman, who had been the closer before his injury, Aaron Boone brought in Clay Holmes, who got the last out. Yankees 6, Guardians 1. WP: Cortes (7-3). SV: Holmes (15). LP: Civale (2-5).

This is what it has come to for Aroldis Chapman: He was not trusted on the mound, Joey Gallo was trusted at bat, both with men on base, and both worked.

The series concludes this afternoon. Jordan Montgomery starts against Triston McKenzie.

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