Sweep: Yankees walk-off with 3-2 win over Reds

Source: FanGraphs

What a great way to start the second half. The Yankees turned what was poised to be a frustrating, RISPFAIL filled loss into a walk-off win and a series sweep on Sunday afternoon, beating the Reds 3-2. That sure was fun. Let’s recap the win:

• Answer Back: The Reds scored their first run in the top of the fifth and the Yankees answered right back with two runs in the bottom half. The rally was set up by back-to-back one-out walks by Kelly Johnson and Brett Gardner and capped off by run-scoring singles to right by Derek Jeter and Jacoby Ellsbury. The Yankees forced Johnny Cueto, who came into this game averaging 7.1 innings per start, to throw 112 pitches in only five innings. Old school Yankees effort from the offense. They worked Cueto hard.
• My Hiro: For the third straight game, the Yankees got a strong outing from their patchwork rotation. De facto ace Hiroki Kuroda allowed just one unearned run — a Brian Roberts error is to thank for that — in 6.2 innings on Sunday afternoon, holding the Reds to three hits (all doubles) and two walks. He struck out six and recorded nine of his other 14 outs on the infield. I thought his splitter was really sharp — PitchFX says he threw 30 splitters, including 19 for strikes and ten for swings and misses. Pretty much a vintage Kuroda start. More of this in the second half, please.
• Blown: It was bound to happen at some point, and that point came Sunday afternoon. Dellin Betances blew the 2-1 run in the eighth inning, serving up a solo homer to Todd Frazier. Can’t even be mad about it. It was a 98 mph fastball up and in that Frazier somehow yanked down the right field line and kept fair. Impressive piece of hitting. Suddenly the offense’s string of blown opportunities — 3-for-15 (.200) with runners in scoring position overall, including runners stranded at third in the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings — looked like it would cost them the game. They had a lot of chances to blow this game open but were unable to do it.
• Shades of Castillo: Reds manager Bryan Price made a very smart move by going to all-world closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning of a tied game on the road because the middle of New York’s lineup was due up. It just didn’t work out. Ellsbury led the inning off with a marvelous at-bat, fouling off several triple-digit heaters before singling through the left side in a full count. He stole second uncontested and moved to third with no outs thanks to a wild pitch. Mark Teixeira struck out but Brian McCann picked him up … by blooping a single between three Reds defenders. Either they all lost it in the sun or there was a lot of “I’ve got it you’ve got it he’s got it” going on. Probably both. It didn’t hit off anyone’s glove like the Luis Castillo play, but it was the same idea. Not the way you’d expect to win but who cares. A win is a win is a win.
• Leftovers: Ellsbury went 4-for-4 with a walk and the stolen base, plus he made a great sliding catch to save a run in the second. Dominant two-way game by him … Teixeira had an awful afternoon, going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, all with men on base … everyone in the starting line reached base except Teixeira, with Ellsbury, McCann (two hits), Roberts (two singles), and Johnson (two walks) each reaching multiple times … David Robertson retired the side in the order in the ninth to set up the walk-off.

For the box score and video highlights, head over to MLB.com. You can find some more stats at FanGraphs and the updated standings at ESPN. Depending on the outcome of the late afternoon games, the Yankees will be either three games (Orioles lose) or four games (Orioles win) back of the top spot in the AL East and either 1.5 games (Mariners lose) or 2.5 games (Mariners win) back of the second wildcard spot. The last place Rangers — as in the worst record in all of baseball — come to the Bronx for four games next. Shane Greene and Miles Mikolas will be Monday night’s pitching matchup.