Source: FanGraphs
Just like that, the Yankees have a three-game winning streak. Things sure turned around in a hurry, huh? Just as the Yankees planned, big offseason additions Masahiro Tanaka and Yangervis Solarte carried them to a 5-3 win over the Brewers in Friday night’s series opener in Milwaukee. Let’s recap the victory:
- Money Well Spent: It’s hard to believe the Yankees are paying Tanaka $22M this season to go 0-for-3 with three strikeouts at the plate. Luckily he can pitch a little. Tanaka allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk in 6.1 innings of work, striking out seven and getting eight ground outs compared to four in the air. Things got a little dicey in the sixth and seventh innings, but a well-timed double play and the bullpen helped him escape both jams. Tanaka now has a 2.57 ERA (3.07 FIP) in 49 innings this year. That’ll do just fine.
- Minor League Contract Well Spent: It is May 9th, and a minor league journeyman leads the Yankees with 18 RBI. That would normally be bad, but Solarte has been so damn good that it’s an overwhelming positive. He swatted his second career homer on Friday night, this one a three-run shot against Yovani Gallardo in the fourth inning. It was a hanging breaking ball, pretty much right in his wheelhouse. Solarte has come back to Earth a bit but he still has a .304/.387/.461 (135 wRC+) batting line. Once again, that’ll do just fine.
- Tacked On: Brian Roberts continued his hot hitting with a double down the right field line to score Brett Gardner for the team’s fourth run of the day. Mark Teixeira drove in their fifth run of the ninth with a ground ball. Pinch-runner Ichiro Suzuki scored from third after stealing third base. He replaced Carlos Beltran, who blooped a double. Tanaka was cruising early in the game, but those extra insurance runs are always appreciated.
- Leftovers: Adam Warren got a strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play with men on the corners to end the seventh, then he tacked on a scoreless eighth as well. David Robertson struck out the side and allowed a solo homer in the ninth for his sixth save in six chances … everyone in the starting lineup reached base at least once except Derek Jeter, Teixeira, and Tanaka. Gardner, Brian McCann, and Beltran each had a base hit and a walk.
For the box score and video highlights, go to MLB.com. For some other stats, go to FanGraphs. For the updated standings, go to ESPN. These two teams will play the second game of this three-game series on Saturday night (yes, a Saturday night game, blargh) when CC Sabathia faces off against Kyle Lohse.
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