For a month now, since April 21 -- minus sitting out with a 2nd round of COVID-19 -- Gleyber Torres has been playing like the player we were always told he was going to become. As much as Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, or any pitcher, he has been a reason why the Yankees have gone from 6-11 to 27-19.
Yesterday afternoon, Gerrit Cole to the mound in the middle game of a home series with the Chicago White Sox. His last start was his worst as a Yankee. This time, he was back to normal: 7 innings, 0 runs, 4 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts.
But even Cole needs runs -- at least 1. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 4th, when Torres nearly hit one out, driving in Gio Urshela and Aaron Judge. It became back-to-back doubles, when Rougned Odor drove Torres home.
With the bases loaded in the 5th, Torres singled home Brett Gardner and Luke Voit. In the 6th, Mike Ford, playing 1st base (Voit was the designated hitter) and usually an automatic out, crushed one to the right-center bleachers, 447 feet. Miguel Andujar added an RBI double in the7th, scoring Torres. This made Torres involved in 6 of the 7 Yankee runs. The Southsiders just couldn't stop him.
With a big lead, this was not the day to put your best relievers out there. Rather, it was the day to send out 2 relievers who need work and straightening out. Both who were sent out sure looked straightened out: Justin Wilson pitched a scoreless 8th, and Luis Cessa pitched a perfect 9th. Yankees 7, White Sox 0. WP: Cole (6-2). No save. LP: Dylan Cease (2-1).
With the Boston Red Sox again beating the Philadelphia Phillies, the Yankees remain a game and a half out of 1st place.
This series concludes this afternoon. Dallas Keuchel, whom I wished the Yankees had gotten when they had the chance in 2019, starts for the Pale Hose. Jameson Taillon, whom the Yankees actually did get this past off-season, and hasn't yet lived up to our hopes, starts for us. Hopefully, he can pitch well enough to give the hitters a chance to secure the sweep.
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