Maybe the Yankees have snapped out of it. Yesterday, they had a good-old fashioned doubleheader sweep.
Okay, the fact that it was forced by the previous day's rainout wasn't old-fashioned, and the 12-inning struggle to win the opener wasn't exactly "good." But the fact that they only used 2 pitchers in the nightcap was close to being "old-fashioned."
Gerrit Cole started, and lasted into the 7th inning, allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 14. That gives him 218 on the season, 30 short of Ron Guidry's team single-season record. So much has been made of Aaron Judge's run at Roger Maris' 61 home run that Cole breaking Guidry's record has gone unnoticed. He could have up to 4 starts left, so he would have to average 8 to break it. Lucas Luetge went the rest of the way, without allowing a run.
Judge did not hit another homer in the nightcap. But in the 4th inning, Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a grand slam, turning a 1-0 Minnesota lead into a 4-1 New York one. It was his 3rd homer of the season.
It was hit off Joe Ryan. Despite his name, he wasn't wearing Number 30 or Number 34 like Nolan Ryan is known for. He was wearing Number 41, the number associated with Tom Seaver. Good thing for the Yankees that he didn't pitch much like either of them.
A Cliché Alert wasn't really necessary, as the Yankees were already leading in the 8th. Nevertheless, in that inning, they staged a 2-out rally, loading the bases on walks, and then Aaron Hicks cleared the bases with a double, forging the final score: Yankees 7, Twins 1. WP: Cole (11-7). SV: Luetge (2). LP: Ryan (10-8).
That's 4 straight wins, just when the season seemed to be slipping away. With 25 games left in the regular season, the Yankees are 5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Eastern Division, and 6 1/2 ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays. In the (Cliché Alert) all-important loss column, they lead the Rays by 4 and the Jays by 6. The Magic Number to clinch the AL East is 22. However, they are 5 1/2 games, 5 in the loss column, behind the Houston Astros for home-field advantage through the AL Playoffs.
The series with the Twins concludes tonight. Thankfully, Nestor Cortes has been activated from the Injured List, and will start against former Yankee Sonny Gray. Then, the Rays come into The Bronx for a series that could decide the Division title. Come on you Pinstripes!
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