Source: FanGraphs
The week-long trip through Chicago is finally over. The Yankees walloped the White Sox by the score of 7-1 on Sunday afternoon, earning a split of the six games in the Windy City. They were a David Robertson blown save away from going 4-2 on the trip, and also blown saves by Hector Rondon and Ronald Belisario away from going 1-5. Blown saves for everyone! Let’s recap Sunday’s win:
- Early Runs: After relying on late rallies the last few games, the Yankees broke the trend and scored some runs early on Sunday afternoon. They loaded the bases with one out in the second, then plated four total runs on a single plus an error (Brett Gardner), another single (Derek Jeter), and a sacrifice fly (Jacoby Ellsbury). Just like that, it was 4-0. Jeter tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the second inning, all with two outs, making it 5-0. Hooray for not playing from behind for once.
- Cy Tanaka: Masahiro Tanaka didn’t look particularly comfortable all afternoon — he was really taking his time between pitches and he didn’t seem to be on the same page with Brian McCann — and yet he still held the White Sox it one run in 6.2 innings. That run was sun-aided as well, as Gardner appeared to lose a ball in the sky. A routine fly ball turned into a double and the runner eventually came around to score. Tanaka struck out six and did not allow a dinger for the fourth straight start. Remember when he was homer prone? He’s down to a 0.89 HR/9 on the year, which is exactly the AL average.
- Late Innings: The Yankees were more or less running out the clock after scoring their fifth run. Jeter singled in their sixth run in the sixth inning, then Brian Roberts slugged a garbage time solo homer in the eighth. Adam Warren got four outs between the seventh and eighth before Matt Daley mopped things up in the ninth. Nice and easy. I feel like it’s been a while since the team’s last low-stress win.
- Leftovers: Jeter had a whale of a game, going 4-for-5 and driving in two. It was his first four-hit game since 2012 … Alfonso Soriano doubled twice and the bottom four hitters in the lineup went a combined 5-for-15 (.333) … Ellsbury, Mark Teixeira, and McCann went a combined 0-for-11 with six strikeouts. You usually don’t win when the 3-4-5 hitters do that.
MLB.com has the box score and video highlights while FanGraphs has some other starts. The updated standards are at ESPN. The Yankees are off to St. Louis to wrap up this road trip with a three-game series against the Cardinals. Chase Whitley and Michael Wacha will be the pitching matchup in the Memorial Day matinee on Monday.
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