New York Wins Opener Over Colorado Without Aaron Boone In The Dugout
While Aaron Boone was serving his one game suspension for chewing out the home plate umpire in Thursday’s doubleheader against Tampa Bay New York was beating up on Colorado in the opening game of the three game series in the Bronx with Josh Bard who is New York’s bench coach taking Aaron Boone’s place for the opening game of the three game series.
From the moment his bat made contact with the ball, Edwin Encarnacion started to run. On a particularly hot summer night at Yankee Stadium -- the temperature on the field hit triple digits at first pitch -- he might not have expected his line drive to carry through the air for very long. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Rockies outfielder Garrett Hampson, sprinting over from shallow left-center, seemed to have a read on it. With the help of a 10-mph wind from right to left, Encarnacion’s blast carried just over the left-field wall. As it turned out, he didn’t need to run at all. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Smashed at an exit velocity of 102 mph, Encarnacion’s grand slam -- the 12th of his career and first for his new team -- found its place in the seats, giving the Yankees a come-from-behind lead in the third inning that they would maintain the rest of the way in an 8-2 win Friday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
“I’ve been telling the guys,” said Yankees starter J.A. Happ, Encarnacion’s former teammate in Toronto. “When he gets hot, it’s like not too many I’ve ever seen. It’s good to see the parrot showing up. Man, it’s fun. That was huge. Sort of re-energized me, too, that big hit he had. That was awesome.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Added Aaron Judge, who scored from second on the slam and hit a two-run shot of his own later in the game: “I had a nice view of it. It’s amazing what he can do. ... He’s going to come up and give you a quality at-bat every single outing. It’s been fun to watch him.””according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
With their Major League-leading 31st comeback win, the Yankees improved to 21-16 when opponents score first. They are the only team in the Majors with a winning record in such games. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
“[An early deficit] isn’t that big of a deal,” Judge said. “We always know we got a lot of ballgame to play, especially when we get down early. And it just doesn’t stop with this lineup. Like I’ve said before, 1 through 9 can do damage, and we’ve got a lot of guys that get on base at a high clip. So when you’ve got guys that get on base and guys that’ve got some pop, it leads to a lot of runs and there’s no real let down in this offense.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Happ struggled to find his command early, and Colorado took advantage in the top of the second. Ryan McMahon, filling in for All-Star David Dahl -- who was a late scratch with a left foot contusion -- led off the frame with a solo shot to center field. A few batters later, Happ gave up a double to the left-field corner that turned into an RBI when Yankees left fielder Mike Tauchman couldn’t corral it and let Hampson reach third base. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Tauchman made up for it on the next play, though, bailing Happ out of any more trouble on the day. When the next Rockies hitter, Charlie Blackmon, hit a high fly ball to left, Tauchman made the grab, set his feet and launched a rocket to catcher Gary Sánchez, throwing out Hampson at home to end the inning.
“He just creates a lot of run value,” said bench coach Josh Bard, who managed the game in place of the suspended Aaron Boone. “That’s a big, big play early that shifts the game. He’s really been ready. We’ve put him in some spots where he’s facing guys that are tough, and he’s been productive. Kudos goes to the [front] office for going out and finding us another diamond in the rough.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Tauchman, who was acquired by the Yankees in a trade with Colorado before the season, was one of three former Rockies -- along with second baseman DJ LeMahieu and reliever Adam Ottavino -- who played a big role against their former team. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Tauchman went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while LeMahieu tacked on a pair of insurance runs via an RBI single and fielder’s choice -- both of which brought Tauchman across home plate. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
“[Tauchman’s] got great reads in the outfield, good quick step, he lays out, he’s always playing hard,” Judge said. “[We] witnessed the arm tonight, being able to throw out a fast runner. ... And then swinging the bat, he’s got great power to all fields, he’s going to work the count, he fouls off a lot of tough pitches. He’s one heck of a player. Excited to have him over on our side.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Meanwhile, Ottavino struck out the side in the sixth, bridging the gap between Happ and reliever Stephen Tarpley. Happ battled through five frames and a nagging left calf before Tarpley came in and shut the door on the Rockies, striking out a career-high six batters in three big innings after Thursday’s doubleheader and earning his second career save. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
For the Yankees, Friday’s victory was simply the latest example of their ability to rise above the onslaught of challenges that have come their way, which is part of the reason why they have the best record in the Major Leagues at 63-33. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
“We just never feel like we’re out of the ballgame really,” Happ said. “Some special comebacks and some special outings. Some situations where things haven’t gone our way or we’ve had a tough road trip or doubleheader, and we come out and maybe don’t look great to start, and then find a way to do it. Guys coming through that you might not expect. Just a lot of different things put us in this position right now.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/edwin-encarnacion-grand-slam-leads-yankees
Meanwhile Colorado had a setback in the opening game of their three game series in the Bronx.
Two things you can say about the Rockies: They have been inconsistent on offense and on the mound. Let’s start with left-hander Kyle Freeland. He had one bad inning Friday night, and it proved costly as the Rockies were pounded by the Yankees, 8-2, at Yankee Stadium. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
Colorado extended its losing streak to five games. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
Freeland got off to a great start. He was given a two-run lead in the second inning, when Ryan McMahon hit a solo homer off J.A. Happ and three batters later Garrett Hampson doubled, scoring Chris Iannetta. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
The Rockies didn’t score the rest of the game, going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and leaving eight runners on base. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
As for Freeland, he held the Yankees scoreless until the third inning, when Edwin Encarnacion hit a grand slam. It didn’t help that Freeland walked Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez to load the bases. Freeland lasted four innings and allowed five runs. In his past four starts, Freeland has allowed at least five runs each time out. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
“The first two innings the change up was really effective tonight,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “[But] we couldn’t get the ball over the plate. He was trying to bring the pitches down to get the ground ball. He couldn’t get it to his spot. The selectivity of the Yankees was apparent in the third inning.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
The Yankees reminded Freeland of the Dodgers, another powerhouse team, from the NL West. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
“They were waiting to see if I would throw up the zone and I didn’t. I was behind in the count,” Freeland said.
Freeland acknowledged that he didn’t work the count in his favor when it came to Judge and Sanchez. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
“I was looking to get a ball in the ground, then the grand slam happened,” Freeland said. “The walks hurt me, not being able to get out of that jam with a double play or a popup.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
Reliever Yency Almonte fared no better, allowing three runs in two innings. The biggest hit against Almonte came in the sixth inning, when Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer to break the game open. The Rockies' pitching staff has allowed at least eight runs in six of the past seven games.”according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
“Tonight was a bad night. No doubt about it,” said Black, who was ejected in the ninth inning after an Iannetta strikeout. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
“We have to be able to do a better job putting the ball in play,” Black said. “When we go bad, we are in a bad rut at the plate, and a lot of it is strikeout-related.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/kyle-freeland-rockies-struggle-vs-yankees
New York and Colorado will continue their series Saturday afternoon in the Bronx where New York will look to win the series while Colorado will look to bounce back and even up the series.