New York Sweeps Minnesota To Win Their Sixth Straight As Gary Sanchez Hits A Walk-off Home Run
New York won their sixth game in a row Thursday afternoon thanks to starting catcher Gary Sanchez.
The Yankees always knew they had a chance. Get a couple guys on, get a pitch they could handle, and eight innings where the offense couldn't get going would be largely forgotten."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
Just like that. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-h
It didn't matter that the Yankees had no hits in the first five innings Thursday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, or that they still had just three hits entering the ninth. All that mattered was that Gary Sanchez came to the plate against Twins closer Fernando Rodney and rocketed a three-run walk-off home run into the left-field seats, giving the Yanks a 4-3 win and extending a six-game winning streak."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
"If we can get traffic on the bases, we're always one swing away from our guys," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
The Yankees got that traffic when Didi Gregorius reached on an error to begin the ninth and Giancarlo Stanton followed with an infield hit. That brought up Sanchez, who was hitting .193 this season but already had five home runs. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
"He had a real confident look up there," Boone said."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
Sanchez was hitless on the day, but he had learned something from his first three plate appearances."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
"I noticed through the game they were pitching me inside," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "I know Fernando Rodney is a good pitcher and he throws hard, but I was looking for a pitch I could hit."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
Rodney indeed throws hard, and he tried to pitch Sanchez inside. The 96.5-mph fastball was the fastest pitch any Yankee has hit for a home run this season, according to Statcast .It was the second time in his career Sanchez has homered on a pitch at least that fast, the other being a 99-mph Joe Kelly fastball last August. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
The home run off Kelly tied a game the Yankees would go on to lose. This one finished off a four-game Yankees sweep of the Twins and earned Sanchez the Gatorade shower that goes to the game's star."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
"I knew something was coming," Sanchez said of the shower. "I can just tell you it was cold.""according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
The Yankees are hot, even if it didn't look that way in the early innings on Thursday. They were stifled by Twins starter Kyle Gibson , who allowed just one hit and struck out a career-high 10 in six innings. The Yankees didn't score until the seventh, when Stanton doubled off reliever Addison Reed and scored on an Aaron Hicks ' sacrifice fly."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
New York didn't score again until Sanchez's home run on the final swing of the day. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
It was the 59th career home run for the 25-year-old Sanchez, but it was his first walk-off. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
"This definitely is up there, definitely a very exciting moment," Sanchez said. "The other special moment was when we made it to the playoffs, but this is up there." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
It was an exciting ending, but a familiar result for a Twins-Yankees series in the Bronx. The Yanks have swept three of their past four home series against the Twins, whom they also defeated at home in last season's American League Wild Card Game. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
The victim this time was Rodney, a 16-year veteran who is in his first season with the Twins."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
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"I was trying to get a ground-ball double play," Rodney said. "Threw the pitch a little bit high in the strike zone, that's why he could use his hands. He's got quick hands." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Betances fans the side: Looking at the big picture, the Yankees had to be happy with how Dellin Betances looked in striking out the side in the ninth inning. Betances needed only 13 pitches to cut through the top third of the Twins' lineup, and 11 of his 13 pitches were strikes. It was the first time since April 5 that Betances had struck out the side."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
"I was trying to get a ground-ball double play," Rodney said. "Threw the pitch a little bit high in the strike zone, that's why he could use his hands. He's got quick hands." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
That was ho-hum Dellin at his best there," Boone said. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
SOUND SMART
Bert Blyleven had three 10-strikeout games against the Yankees, the last one coming in 1987. Only two Twins pitchers since then have fanned 10 Yanks in a game: Eric Milton in 2000 and Gibson on Thursday. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
HE SAID IT
"Our approach doesn't change whether they're in first place or last. Our approach is to win series." -- Sanchez, on the Yankees, whose next three opponents (Angels, Astros and Red Sox) entered play Thursday with a combined 51-23 record "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746
With the win New York who is a member of the American League East improves to 15-9 on the season and is 3.5 games behind Boston. Meanwhile Minnesota drops to 8-12 on the season and is 5.0 games back of Cleveland in the American League Central. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/
Boone is a Southern California guy, and he spent most of the 1980s at Anaheim Stadium when his father Bob was playing for the Angels. Now he returns as the Yankees' skipper for a series that could captivate Japan if Shohei Ohtani bats against Masahiro Tanaka Saturday night. First, New York sends ace right-hander Luis Severino (4-1, 2.32 ERA) to the mound for Friday's 10:07 p.m. ET series opener, against left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-1, 9.64 ERA). "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/gary-sanchez-hits-walk-off-homer-in-yankees-w/c-273976746