New York Wins The Opener Over Minnesota As They Add To Their Wild Card Lead
At this point in the season wins matter the game may not always be pretty but a win is a win any way you look at it and New York won the opener against Minnesota while extending their wild card lead.
Aaron Judge hit his American League-leading 44th home run and Jaime Garcia turned in his best start for his new club before Aroldis Chapman extinguished a threat in the eighth inning, converting his first five-out save in more than two years as the Yankees secured a 2-1 victory over the Twins on Monday at Yankee Stadium. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
In what could have been a preview of the American League Wild Card Game, the Yankees remained three games behind the Red Sox in the AL East but padded their advantage to five games over the Twins for the first AL Wild Card. Minnesota leads the second AL Wild Card by 1 1/2 games over the Angels. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
There's a good chance we could play them in that one-game playoff, so it's always good to pick up a win against a team like that," said David Robertson, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his ninth victory of the season, the most among all big league relievers this season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
Garcia was a member of the Twins for six days in July but never set foot inside Target Field, having been traded both times during Minnesota road trips. The veteran lefty struck out nine of the first 13 men he faced and, backed by Judge's first-inning blast, limited his former mates to an unearned run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
"I think I was able to keep the ball down for the most part and elevate when I needed to," Garcia said. "I think the biggest thing was controlling the counts, getting ahead in the counts. I made them chase my stuff." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
Twins starter Ervin Santana permitted two runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, with the Yankees pushing across the go-ahead run in the sixth inning on Todd Frazier's one-out sacrifice fly. The Twins threatened with a soft eighth-inning rally against Dellin Betances, but Chapman pitched out of a key bases-loaded jam to preserve the lead. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
"It was a good game and what you'd expect from two teams with something on the line," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It was well-pitched on both sides. Ervin battled and Judge got a hold of one, but he held down the fort for the most part. He gave us an opportunity. But their bullpen is tough and it's hard to come from behind." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
No one except Giancarlo Stanton has hit more long balls at home this season than Judge, who has launched 28 of his 44 blasts in The Bronx. Statcast™ calculated Judge's first-inning homer off Santana as having an exit velocity of 108.9 mph, traveling 395 feet to right-center field with a launch angle of 38 degrees. Judge is one of three Yankees to hit 44 or more homers since 1962, joining Alex Rodriguez (54 in 2007) and Tino Martinez (44 in 1997). "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
Santana's sixth-inning wild pitch played a pivotal role in this taut battle, coming afterChase Headley smoked a one-out single off second baseman Brian Dozier's glove and Starlin Castro cleanly singled to left field. The wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, and the Twins intentionally walked Jacoby Ellsbury before Frazier pushed the go-ahead run across with a shallow fly ball to left field. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
"It was a slider," Santana said. "It was just a back-up slider and that's why it did that. And [Frazier] is just a really good bad-ball hitter, so he made good contact to get a fly ball." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
Betances was ineffective in the eighth inning, hitting a batter and issuing two walks around a sacrifice bunt, but Chapman entered and put out the fire. The left-hander gassedJoe Mauer with a 102.7-mph fastball for the second out of the inning, then got Byron Buxton to fly out to right field, leaving the bases loaded. He hadn't recorded a five-out save since Aug. 31, 2015. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
Those are two big outs," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "You're facing Joe Mauer, who puts the ball in play and doesn't strike out a lot. He's able to strike him out and Buxton has been swinging really well, especially against left-handers. Those are two big outs and then to get the final three, that's just a huge performance by him." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
Chapman's final pitch was a 103.6 mph fastball past Eduardo Escobar, the fastest strikeout pitch in the Majors this season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
I want to pitch better than this one. If I get the chance to come here again, we just have to win, no matter how." -- Santana, on the potential of starting the AL Wild Card Game in New York on Oct. 3. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254818594/yankees-beat-twins-to-extend-wild-card-lead/
With the win, New York improved to 83-67 and is now three games back of their rival Boston who is leading the division with a record of 86-64 after defeating Baltimore 10-8 at Camden Yards in their opener of a three-game series. With the loss, Minnesota drops to 78-72 and is now fifteen games back of Cleveland who is leading the American League Central.
New York will return to Yankee Stadium Tuesday for game two of their three-game set against Minnesota.
Right-hander Jose Berrios who has a record of 12-7 with a 3.84 earn run average will get the start for Minnesota. Berrios went 5 2/3 innings his last outing, giving up one run on five hits against Toronto. Berrios also matched his season high with four walks and struck out five, This season Berrios has a 2.45 earn run average at home compared to 5.14 on the road. He will go up against 37- year-old veteran left-hander CC Sabathia who has a record of 11-5 with a 3.85 earn run average. Sabathia was removed from his most recent start against the Rays on Sept. 11 after just 4 1/3 innings as the Yanks didn't want him to face Evan Longoria a third time. He is 2-0 with a 3.14 earn run average since returning from a brief DL stint. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/twins-vs-yankees/2017/09/19/492357#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=492357
First pitch is set for 7:05 pm. The game will be televised on ESPN and Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/twins-vs-yankees/2017/09/19/492357#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=492357