The Yankees' 7-game, 2-team roadtrip to Chicago was never going to be easy. Both the American League's White Sox and the National League's Cubs are much-improved, and the Yankee attack is missing Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Clay Bellinger through injury.
Max Fried had been fantastic in his 1st game back from the Injured List. But on Monday night, he was shaky, allowing 3 runs in the 1st 3 innings. For all intents and purposes, it became a bullpen game for the Yankees, as 7 relievers allowed 2 runs the rest of the way.
But 4-run innings in the 4th and the 8th, including the 1st career home run by backup catcher Ali Sánchez, gave the Yankees a 9-5 comeback win. Brent Headrick, the Yankees' pitcher at the time they took the lead, was named the winning pitcher.
On Tuesday night, the Yankees got 6 brilliant innings from Gerrit Cole, and a scoreless inning each from Angel Chivilli and Headrick. Three runs in the top of the 2nd, including unexpected RBI doubles by Anthony Volpe and Max Schuemann, produced a 3-0.
The South Siders nearly came back, though, tagging David Bednar for 2 runs in the 9th, before he shut the door for a 3-2 Yankee win.
The Yankees would not be nearly so lucky over the next 2 games at Rate Field, formerly known as Guaranteed Rate Field, U.S. Cellular Field and the new Comiskey Park.
Both would be lost in extra innings. I hate extra innings: I say, If you're going to lose, do it in the regulation 9 innings. Don't string us along. The ghost runner rule makes it worse.
On Wednesday night, the Yankees wastes a 4-run top of the 1st, including a home run by prospect Spencer Jones, and a strong 6 innings from Cam Schlittler. Fernando Cruz and Paul Blackburn blew the lead, each team scored a run in the 11th inning, and Ryan Yarbrough, who really shouldn't be in the major leagues, allowed the winning run in the 12th. White Sox 6, Yankees 5.
Then, yesterday, came the dreaded day game after a night game. It was a terrific pitching duel between Ryan Weathers for New York and Sean Burke for Chicago -- no relation to the former New Jersey Devils goalie of the same name. The regulation 9 ended scoreless. Each team scored a run in the 10th, and Cruz choked in the 11th. White Sox 2, Yankees 1.
In the last 22 innings of the series, the Yankees scored just 1 run. And, unlike the old Comiskey Park, this stadium favors hitters.
The Yankees move uptown, to start a 3-game weekend series with the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
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