Friday, April 28, 2023

Cole and Homers Lead Yanks, But Judge Injury a Concern

The Yankees opened a 4-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington last night. They opened up a lead in the top of the 2nd inning. DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres opened it with back-to-back home runs. Oswald Peraza was hit with a pitch. After Isiah Kiner-Falefa flew out, Jose Trevino singled, Aaron Hicks drew a walk, and Anthony Volpe singled Peraza home. It was 3-0 Yankees.

Gerrit Cole started, and pitched shutout ball for 5 innings. In the bottom of the 6th, he loaded the bases with nobody out. He got a strikeout for the 1st out. On the next play, LeMahieu took a grounder at 1st base. He did the right thing by going to 2nd base for the 2nd out, and Volpe got it. Volpe made a good throw to 1st, but Cole didn't get there in time, and he dropped the ball, and a run scored. The next play was a slow bouncer to 3rd, and Peraza couldn't make the throw, making it 3-2. Another grounder ended the inning. Given the circumstances, the Yankees were lucky to get out of it with only 2 runs.

Cole pitched into the 7th, and Michael King pitched the rest of the way. Trevino provided an insurance run with a home run in the 9th. Yankees 4, Rangers 2. WP: Cole (5-0). SV: King (1). LP: Andrew Heaney (2-2).

There was one rough note: Aaron Judge had to leave the game in the 4th inning, with an apparent hip injury. He has played in all 26 games this season. This will surely end tonight, but manager Aaron Boone says he is "not too concerned about it," and he might need only a day or two off.

The series continues tonight. Clarke Schmidt, coming off easily his best start of a rough season so far, will start against former Met ace Jacob deGrom.

No comments: