Austin Romine Hits Two Run Homer As New York Splits The Series With Arizona
Gary Sanchez is on the injured list with a strained left groin but has resumed running and hitting but will apparently require more than four more days before he's ready to go. “according to https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/yankees-gary-sanchez-making-good-progress/ so for now it is Kyle Higashiosaka and Austin Romine doing the catching for the guys in pinstripes.
But it was Austin Romine who helped New York earn a split and avoid being swept by Arizona in the quick two game series.
Romine’s go-ahead two-run blast off Yoshihisa Hirano highlighted the action on a day in which the Yankees largely stood pat at the Trade Deadline, helping to power New York’s 7-5 victory over the D-backs on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
The catcher's shot landed in the left-field seats approximately 30 minutes after the 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline. Though general manager Brian Cashman said repeatedly that he was seeking to bolster the club's pitching, the Yanks’ only move on Wednesday was to acquire Minor League left-hander Alfredo Garcia in exchange for right-hander Joseph Harvey. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
"We didn’t get close to anything, but we certainly knocked on all doors," Cashman said. "We had a lot of ideas and exchanged ideas with clubs in our effort to improve. But the fallback always has been that we know we have a good club already." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
Even without a splashy move, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that his club has enough to make 2019 special. The Yankees (68-39) own a healthy eight-game advantage in the American League East, and Boone believes that they can enjoy a deep October run, even if they run into the freshly reinforced Astros. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
“Hopefully we’re in a position to be playing them in a meaningful game," Boone said. "You never know when you'll match up, but obviously [Greinke is] a really good pitcher and helps their club. We know we can go beat anyone. Nothing changes there.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
Mike Tauchman hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Greinke, who permitted two hits over five innings before being removed during a sixth-inning rain delay. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
During those 36 minutes when the tarpaulin covered the playing field, Houston finalized a deal to acquire Greinke in exchange for four prospects. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
“There’s an entire television network that’s dedicated just to talking about that for 24 hours a day, so it’s naturally going to get talked about," Tauchman said. "We had the rain delay right around the time when the Deadline was coming up. It was just, ‘We've got to get it done today.’” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
Attempting to bounce back from arguably the worst start of his professional career, having permitted a career-high 12 earned runs to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Masahiro Tanaka auditioned a revised grip on his trademark splitter in order to generate more swings and misses. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
The tweak came at the suggestion of pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who believes that lower seams on the baseball have cost Tanaka some of his vertical drop. Tanaka only completed four-plus innings, with a stellar stop by third baseman Gio Urshela saving at least two runs in the fourth. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
"Obviously, you want to stay in there, go that [fifth] inning and put up a zero, but I think it's part of me having not been effective of late," Tanaka said through a translator. "I kind of understand the decision. For me, I need to keep on performing and get some results, then it'll change." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
Arizona produced three runs in the fifth off Tanaka and Chad Green. Eduardo Escobar collected an RBI on a fielder’s choice, Jake Lamb lifted a sacrifice fly to score the second run and center fielder Aaron Hicks committed a costly error, uncorking a throw to third base that landed in the visiting dugout and allowed another run to score. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
The Yanks padded their lead with three eighth-inning runs as Gleyber Torres and Cameron Maybin thumped RBI hits. Tim Locastro hit his first big league homer in the ninth off Nestor Cortes Jr. before Aroldis Chapman secured his 27th save in 32 chances. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
“In there celebrating a win with those guys, [I was] looking around the room and knowing we’ve got everything we need to be a championship club," Boone said. "That doesn’t change." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run
Meanwhile Arizona suffered a setback in the finale as Zack Greinke made his final start for Arizona.
Just a half hour before news broke that Greinke had been traded to the Astros for four prospects in a last-minute Trade Deadline blockbuster, the veteran right-hander unbalanced the powerhouse Yankees offense for five innings at Yankee Stadium, until a thunderstorm forced him off the field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
Greinke held the Bronx Bombers to two runs on two hits in the D-backs' 7-5 loss Wednesday. He struck out seven, including Aaron Judge all three times he faced him. His final two batters faced in an Arizona uniform were strikeouts: Pitching through the rain in the fifth inning, Greinke whiffed Aaron Hicks on a beautiful 66 mph eephus curve, then blew Judge away with a fastball upstairs. It was a sendoff fit for the ace he'd become in Arizona. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
When he walked off the field, Greinke was still that D-backs ace. He was still the D-backs' ace as the two teams sat through a rain delay that took them up to the final minutes before the 4 p.m. ET Deadline. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
And then, shortly after play resumed at 3:56, manager Torey Lovullo got a tap on his shoulder. A trade had happened, and general manager Mike Hazen needed Lovullo on the phone. So the D-backs’ skipper ducked out of the dugout and retreated to his office, where he called his GM. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
The message: "Go get Zack, and tell me when he's in the room." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
Lovullo found Greinke, notoriously studious, watching video. He brought Greinke into the office and gave him the phone. Hazen delivered the news personally. Greinke was an Astro. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
"I think Zack knew once he came into this office in the middle of the game that something was going on," Lovullo said. "As you'd expect, he took it right in stride and was OK. He said some nice things, very complimentary things of this organization. And then, in typical Zack fashion, he asked some questions and he was ready to move on." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
Lovullo had a short conversation with Greinke, telling the pitcher how much he meant to him and to the D-backs. Then he went back to the dugout to tell Greinke's teammates, so they could say goodbye. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
"Zack is gone. I don't know if it's hit anybody, really," said Robbie Ray, who inherits Greinke's No. 1 starter mantle. "He's been, obviously, that ace of our staff. I would say probably one of my best friends. So it's a little tough to see him go. But obviously he's gonna have success. And I wish him nothing but the best." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
Archie Bradley and the rest of the D-backs’ relievers didn't find out from Lovullo. They saw the news flash onto the TV in the bullpen, just after the Deadline hit. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
"It popped up on the TV: Astros. And they said it real quick -- like ‘Greinke, [Aaron] Sanchez, [Joe] Biagini.’ And I was like, ‘Hold up -- did they just say Greinke?’” said Bradley. “And they showed it up there who they had traded for and I was like, ‘Wow, well, there goes Zack.’” “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
Greinke wasn't available to speak after the game. He didn't need to. His teammates said enough. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
"He'll be missed," Bradley said. "Everyone here loved him. We loved the way he was, the way he interacted, the goofiness he brought to the clubhouse. He really did. When Zack walked in a room, guys were happy to see him. He was a fun guy to be around, and we really enjoyed him." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
In his 23 starts for Arizona this season, Greinke went 10-4 with a 2.90 ERA and 135 strikeouts. He was a National League All-Star the last three seasons. Following an up-and-down debut with the D-backs in 2016, the 35-year-old made 88 starts for the D-backs these last three years, with a 3.12 ERA. He led the D-backs to their first postseason appearance in six years in 2017. He reached the 2,500-strikeout milestone this May. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
"He's done some very special things, and I think the fans of Arizona will realize that," Lovullo said. "Zack is a potential future Hall of Famer in my eyes, and should be in theirs as well. So we should appreciate the time we had with him." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/zack-greinke-strong-in-final-start-for-d-backs
New York will have Thursday off before they begin a three game series in the Bronx against their American League East rival Boston who took 3-4 last weekend at Fenway Park on Friday night.