The New York Yankees opened the 2023 Major League Baseball season at Yankee Stadium II, in an Interleague game against the San Francisco Giants, a team that, from their 1883 founding until 1957, after which they moved to San Francisco, played in New York City. In fact, from 1913 to 1922, they shared the Giants' home, the Polo Grounds. And from 1923 to 1957, their home parks were right across the Harlem River from each other.
Gerrit Cole started, and began the game and the season by walking LaMonte Wade on 4 pitches, none of which was even close to the strike zone. Not a good omen. But he followed this by striking out the side: Former New York Mets Michael Conforto and Wilmer Flores, and former Los Angeles Dodger star Joc Pederson.
Logan Webb started for the Giants, who are wearing memorial patches for the late Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry on their right sleeves this season. Aaron Judge took him deep in the bottom of the 1st inning, picking up right where he left off last season. Otherwise, he also struck out the side. Home plate umpire Laz Diaz, known to favor pitchers, called Giancarlo Stanton out on a pitch low and outside. Diaz also closed the 6th with a called 3rd strike on Josh Donaldson that was outside, just 1 pitch after popping a balloon that had drifted onto the field, over to home plate, with "GO YANKEES" written on it.
Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford is married to Cole's sister Amy. Cole struck him out in the 2nd. In fact, he struck out the side in that inning, too.
Anthony Volpe, the much-hyped 21-year-old rookie shortstop from Manhattan, who went to the Delbarton School, a Catholic prep school in Morris Township, Morris County, New Jersey, drew a walk in his 1st major league plate appearance. He then nabbed his 1st major league stolen base. He made a nice play to throw out a batter to end the top of the 4th. In his 1st official at-bat, in the bottom of the 5th, he grounded out to 3rd base.
Gleyber Torres hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 4th. Cole pitched shutout ball through 6, striking out 11, a new Yankee Opening Day record, allowing only 3 hits. Wandy Peralta got into a little trouble in the 7th, and manager Aaron Boone called on Jonathan Loáisiga, who worked out of it.
In the bottom of the 7th, DJ LeMahieu singled home a run, and Judge hit a broken-bat looper that got another home. Rob Marinaccio pitched a 1-2-3 8th. Boone kept him in for the 9th, and he got the 1st out, then walked a batter, then struck out the next 2 to end it.
Yankees 5, Giants 0. WP: Cole (1-0). No save. LP: Webb (0-1). The time of the game, with the new pitch clock, was 2 hours and 33 minutes.
So Opening Day is done, the Yankees are 1-0, and, however briefly, all is right with the world. Day off tomorrow, then a 4:05 start on Fox on Saturday.
No comments:
Post a Comment