2015 New York Yankees: Cold, hot, cold, hot

Last night the New York Yankees clinched a 7-2 home win over the Anaheim Angels, winning the first two games of a three game homestand vs the Angels.

So far the season has been a roller coaster ride. After a cold start, the Yankees caught fire in May before they cooled off again. But in their last ten games, they managed to win seven. Thanks to Tampa Bay’s loss in Seattle, the Yankees have a 1.5 game lead over that team.

A six run first inning set the tone for the game. The Yankees jumped on Angels starting pitcher Garrett Richards. To start the Yankees’ six run inning, Brett Gardner drew a walk, followed by a single, hit by Chase Headly. Alex Rodriguez drew a walk as well before Mark Teixeira hit a sac fly to center field to drive in Brett Gardner. Chase Headly scored on a wild pitch. Struggling Brian McCann hit a two run dinger that cleared the right field wall, to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. After Carlos Beltran singled, Didi Gregorius hit a sharp single center fielder Mike Trout. Trout threw the ball towards third base, but the ball hit the back of Carlos Beltran, who tried to reach third on Gregorius’ hit. Gregorius advanced to second base on the throw. Then Stephen Drew hit into, what shoud have been a force out. He drove the ball towards first baseman Albert Pujols who fired the ball towards second base. Didi Gregorius wasn’t sharp and was too late back on the base. But instead of tagging him, shortstop Erick Aybar only touched the base and never applied the tag. At first the second base umpire called Gregorius out, but after an instant replay, the call was overruled and the bases were loaded. Eventually Brett Gardner hit a sharp, two RBI, single to right field that drove in Beltran and Gregorius for the fifth and sixth run of the inning.

In the second inning, Mark Teixeira scored from third base when Carlos Beltran hit a single to right field.

The Angels got on the board in the fifth when Johnny Giavotella hit a sac fly towards left fielder Ramon Flores, who made a fine catch that saved Warren from giving up an extra basehit. One inning later the Angels scored another run when Mike Trout homered to right field.

For the Dutch fans among us, DIdi Gregorius made a great inning ending play in the first inning when he made a diving stop and robbed Albert Pujols from a basehit. (Nice comment by Joe Buck btw) Didi Gregorius went 2 for 4 and raised his batting average to .236. He also was the starting point of a 6-4-3 double play to help Adam Warren to get out of a jam in the fourth inning.

Adam Warren has gotten accustomed to the role of startng pitching. It says a lot that after Masahiro Tanaka returned from the DL, not he but Chris Capuano was sent to the bullpen. Warren pitched 6.2 innings and gave up two runs on four hits. He issued three walks and struck out one.

Best hitter for the Yankees was Brett Gardner, who also collected two hits out of four at bats, but he drove in two runs.