What Matters Is That the Job Is Getting Done

Let's be honest: These last 2 games have been against the Detroit Tigers, who have given the Yankees fits for the majority of the 21st Century thus far, but currently have the worst record in Major League Baseball.

But if we are being completely honest, then the identity of the opponent does not matter. What matters is the performance. More than who we're doing the job against, what matters is that the job is getting done.

What the Yankees have done in these last 2 games are they should have being doing all along. If they are going to win anything this year, they need good situational hitting, and solid starting pitching.

Jameson Taillon was a gamble and, at least in yesterday's start, that gamble paid off. In the 1st 3 innings, the Tigers only got 2 baserunners, on an error and a walk. In the 4th, Taillon gave up a home run, but that was his 1st hit of the game. He got shaky in the 5th, loading the bases, but still got out of it without allowing a run. 

That kind of pitching deserved good heading to back it up. He got it. In the bottom of the 3rd, DJ LeMahieu drew a walk, and scored on singles by Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres. That made it 1-0 Yankees. The Tigers tied it on that home run in the 4th, but in the 5th,  LeMahieu singled, and scored on a double by Judge.

The bottom of the 6th began when the Tiger starter, Spencer Turnbull, hit Aaron Hicks with a pitch. Then he walked Gary Sanchez. Then Tiger manager A.J. Hinch -- manager of the Houston Astros team that cheated the Yankees out of the Playoffs in 2015, '17 and '19 -- replaced Turnbull with Jose Cisnero. Cisnero walked Clint Frazier to load the bases. He got Brett Gardner to pop up and struck LeMahieu out, and it was beginning to look like another one of those innings for the Yankees.

But Judge, who finally seems to have figured out that not every batted ball has to be a home run, singled home Hicks and Sanchez. Rougned Odor drew a walk, and Torres singled home Frazier and Judge. 6-1 Yankees.

Jonathan Loaisiga pitched a scoreless 6th, but faltered in the 7th, allowing 2 runs. Chad Green allowed a home run to lead off the top of the 8th, but then retired the next 3 batters. And Aroldis Chapman blazed through a perfect 9th to end it.

Yankees 6, Tigers 4. WP: Taillon (1-2, his 1st win as a Yankee). SV: Chapman (5). LP: Turnbull (1-2). Job done. Against whom doesn't matter.

Okay, I would love to do the same thing against Boston or Houston or Tampa Bay. But, as Yogi Berra might have said if he'd thought of it first, You can only play who you're playing.

The Yankees move to within 1 game of .500, and 3 1/2 games, 3 in the loss column, of the 1st place Red Sox. They can get to .500 as the series concludes this afternoon. Corey Kluber starts against Jose Urena. Come on you Pinstripes!