Tag: New York Yankees

New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto flips the bat after hitting a two run ninth inning home run as the Yankees overcome the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Jun 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

New York Yankees 7 (42-19)

San Francisco Giants 5 (29-31)

Win: Michael Tonkin (2-3)

Loss: Camilo Doval (2-1)

Save: Clay Holmes (17)

Time: 2:55

Attendance: 39,485

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–Disaster struck today in San Francisco, as Blake Snell left after straining his groin, and Camilo Doval blew a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth inning and gave up four runs, which allowed the Yankees to sweep the Giants with a 7-5 win.

Friday night, Giants’ ace, Logan Webb, was rocked for four runs early on, and the Giants dropped the second game in this three series. Saturday, they wanted to avoid getting swept, and Blake Snell, who was looking to finally get his first win as a Giant, was the man the Giants turned to as they tried to salvage a game in this series.

The game didn’t start well for Snell and the Giants. With one out in the top of the first inning, Juan Soto hit an absolute bomb out to right-center field to stake the Yankees to a 1-0 lead. Aaron Judge followed that with a single, and he stole second base with two outs, but Snell got Alex Verdugo to fly out to center to end the inning.

The Giants would be up against the Yankees’ left-hander, Nestor Cortes, and the Giants promptly went down 1-2-3 against him in the bottom of the first. DJ LeMahieu singled to left to lead off the second and got to second on a two-out walk to Jose Trevino. Snell was on the ropes again, but he got out of it, as Anthony Volpe flew out to left to end the inning.

Jorge Soler roped a double down the left field line with one out in the bottom of the second to get the Giants their first hit. Luis Matos struck out swinging, and it appeared that the Giants’ offense, which has reverted back to their old ways, was going to waste another opportunity.

Casey Schmitt then singled on a soft line drive up the middle just past the glove of the diving shortstop, Anthony Volpe, to tie the game. Tyler Fitzgerald lined a base-hit to left-center to move Schmitt over to third, but the Giants were unable to take the lead, as catcher Curt Casali flew out to right to end the inning.

Snell walked Judge with one out in the top of the third and allowed Judge to get to second on a wild pitch, but Giancarlo Stanton and Verdugo each flew out to end the inning. Heliot Ramos then led off the bottom of the third with a high fly ball to left-center that he seemed to get a bit to much underneath, but the ball carried as it got into the wind, e-gift was blowing out to right-center, and the ball got out for a home run to give the Giants the lead.

Snell finally settled down with a 1-2-3 top of the fourth. Unlike many of his prior starts this season, Snell was able to pitch well the second time through the order, and this was no doubt shaping up to be his best start of the season. Casey Schmitt then hit his second home run in as many games in the bottom of the fourth to make it 3-1.

The Giants held their 3-1 lead going to the fifth. Snell was solid the second time through the Yankees’ order, but now as he entered his third go-around through the order, things changed. Volpe and Soto singled with one out, and they advanced to second and third on a wild pitch to Judge.

Snell struck Judge out swinging for the second out, but he walked Stanton to load the bases. That brought up Verdugo. Snell threw a curveball on the outside corner for strike one, but after throwing a fastball high to even the count at 1-1, Snell re-injured his left groin that sidelined him for a month, and he had to leave the game.

Left-hander Erik Miller came in, and Verdugo lined a double to right to knock in Vulpe and Soto and tie the game at 3-3. LeMahieu then grounded out to short to end the inning.

It was a very unfortunate end to what was Snell’s best start of the season. He gave up three runs over four and two thirds innings, struck out seven and threw 99 pitches, which was his highest total of the season. He will have an MRI Monday, but he appears most likely to head back to the Injured List.

“I don’t think he’s moving around worse than last, but I don’t know how [he’s not going to the] IL,” said Manager Bob Melvin.

Brett Wisely singled off Cortes with one out in the bottom of the fifth, and Yankees Manager Aaron Boone pulled Cortes for Dennis Santana. Santana got Wilmer Flores to fly out to left and Matt Chapman to ground into a force play to send the game to the sixth.

Miller came back out and pitched a 1-2-3 top of the sixth. Soler and Luis Matos singled off Santana to start the bottom of the sixth. Schmitt popped into an infield fly, and Tyler Fitzgerald flew out to left. Casali was then hit in the hand to load the bases. Casali was examined, but he stayed in the game. That brought up Ramos, who lined a base-hit to left to score two and put the Giants back ahead 5-3.

Ryan Walker pitched a scoreless top of the seventh for the Giants, and San Francisco wasted an opportunity against Michael Tonkin in the bottom of the seventh. Tyler Rogers pitched a 1-2-3 top of the eighth for the Giants, and Tonkin did the same for the Yankees in the bottom of the eighth.

The Giants were three outs away from salvaging a game in the series, and they had every reason to feel confident with their closer, Camilo Doval, in the game. However, the game was about to completely change.

Gleyber Torres led off the inning with a base-hit up the middle to center. Jose Trevino barely beat out the back end of what was nearly a 6-4-3 double play, and with one out, Volpe hit a triple to the gap in right-center to suddenly make it a 5-4 game with the tying run at third. Juan Soto then came up and hit his second home run of the game, a shot to the back of the Arcade in right to give the Yankees a 6-5 lead.

It was only the second blown save of the season for Doval, but things were about to get even uglier for the Giants. Doval completely lost it and proceeded to walk Judge, who stole second, but then advanced to third when Casali’s throw sailed into center field. Stanton followed that up with a ground-rule double to right-center to make it 7-5.

“I felt good with Doval,” said Melvin. “Anytime he’s in the game, we feel good…..I’ll take him against anybody. They just got him today.”

Taylor Rogers had to finish the inning, as the Giants were able to keep the deficit at 7-5. The Yankees brought in their closer, Clay Holmes for the bottom of the ninth, and he closed the game and the sweep out with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth.

Tonkin got the win; Doval suffered his first loss of the season; and Holmes picked up his 17th save. It was the worst loss of the season for the Giants, who were not only swept by the Yankees, but lost the final four games of the homestand to fall to 29-31.

“We played well today,” said Melvin. “You look at the way [the Yankees] played the first two games, and all the sudden, they’re ahead 1-0 again. I thought we responded well, then all the sudden, it’s tied again, and now we respond again. We played well today; [we] just didn’t shut it down in the ninth.”

The Giants will now head back out on the road for an all-2023 World Series road trip. They will head to Phoenix, Arizona for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks that will start Monday night, followed by a three-game series against the defending world champion Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas starting Friday night.

“We [are] just [going to] go into tomorrow and expect to win the next series,” said Melvin. “It’s still tough, because we’re not looking at a full roster at this point.

News and Notes:

Thairo Estrada was out of the lineup for the second day in a row due to a bruise on his right hand.

“For him not to play, he’s banged up,” said Manager Bob Melvin. “So there’s a pretty good bruise on there.”

Shortstop Nick Ahmed played his first rehab game last night with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats after hurting his wrist on May 9, but his wrist did not seem to respond well.

“It didn’t feel great, so he might have had a little bit of a setback,” said Melvin.

Outfielders Austin Slater and Michael Conforto are also rehabbing in Sacramento. It is possible that Conforto could return and be in the lineup as soon as Monday night in Arizona.

Left-handed starter Robbie Ray, who the Giants signed over the off-season during his recovery from Tommy John Surgery, will face live hitters for the first time, as he will pitch one inning in an Arizona Complex game on Tuesday.

The Giants have yet to announce who will go in the series opener tomorrow night at Chase Field in Phoenix. First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m. The Diamondbacks will be starting Ryne Nelson (3-4, ERA 6.02).

The New York Yankees puffed out their chests with Aaron Judge (99) and Juan Soto (right) after Soto’s first inning solo home run at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Jun 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Michael Roberson

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Aaron Judge used his gavel/bat frequently during his homecoming (Linden) to the Bay Area, as his New York Yankees (42-19) swept (3-0) the San Francisco Giants (29-31), and took the final game in dramatic comeback fashion, 7-5.

Judge grew up about 15 miles east of Stockton and 95+ minutes from San Francisco. Aaron Judge had the rare distinction of having both an American League team (Oakland Athletics) and a National League team (San Francisco Giants) in his rooting radius.

As a youth in the Early 2000’s Judge had a lot to see on both sides of the Bay. On the peninsula side Barry Bonds was breaking home run records left and right, and the Giants reached the World Series, but lost to the Angels in heartbreaking fashion. On the East Bay side the Athletics were experiencing Moneyball and a long winning streak.

In 2010, the Giants were beginning their Dynasty, while Judge was finishing up his high school career. Coincidentally, the neighboring Oakland A’s drafted him in the 31st round out of Linden High School. However, Aaron decided to take his talents down to California State – Fresno.

Three years later, Judge was a first round pick (32) by the mighty New York Yankees. He did not make his MLB debut until August of 2016. The rest is history.

Nearly eight years later, Judge came into this series on top of a few of the leaders’ lists. At the start of the final game, he was the MLB leader in home runs (21), slugging % (.657), OPS (1.067), extra-base hits (39), walks (46) and total bases (142)… He also made it on base in 28 consecutive games.

Judge added 2 hits (2-3), 2 walks, and two stolen bases to his already impressive weekend and season total. The Yankees had to rally in the ninth inning to pull out the final win. The New Yorkers were not going to be satisfied with just a series win, they were adamant about completing the sweep. This sentiment was uttered from manager Aaron Boone, Judge, and even Juan Soto, with his big two homers in the game.

“This was a pretty fun weekend, with cheers and boos. It lived up to all the hype.” Said slugger Aaron Judge.

I asked him how he distinguished a favorite team between the A’s, who are geographically closer, or the more cosmopolitan Giants? He stated, “My town (Linden) has a lot of Giants fans. My dad was a Giants fan; I had to follow suit.”

He also enjoyed the aforementioned home run derby that Barry Bonds put on early in the Millenium. Although he didn’t get to see them in person, but from his television, Bonds made Oracle/AT&T/SBC/Pac Bell look small. However, he realized it was not, as he played in the ballpark on the Bay.

Judge and the Yankees have Monday, June 3 off, but will host the Minnesota Twins the following night. The Giants travel to the desert and take on the Arizona Diamondbacks, Monday June 3.

Judge will leave the Bay Area with fond memories and a very successful road trip, while his consecutive streak of reaching base safely is extended to 29 straight games.

ALL RISE for the Bay Area Homeboy Judge (Aaron). Linden California, STAND UP!!

San Francisco Giants pitcher Jordan Hicks (12) gets lifted by Giants manager Bob Melvin (left in dark jacket) in the top of the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri May 31, 2024 (AP News photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie it’s time for you to be the judge as the New York Yankees Aaron Judge opened the three game series with two home runs on Friday night and a home run on Saturday night leading MLB in homers with 21 at Oracle Park against the San Francisco Giants. He had a foot injury that hampered him for awhile but Judge is back on track now.

#2 Judge also set a high water mark with his home run surpassing Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig for a Yankee with the most home runs in the month of May with 25.

#3 Giants starter Jordan Hicks who served up the two home run balls to Judge said to the media after the game “can you guess” in reference to the to pitches he wished he could get back saying it was the two home run pitches. Hicks does tip his cap to Judge who took him deep twice. Hicks said you can tell by that sound of the bat that it’s going out of the park.

#4 Hicks said the Yankees travel well and they have a lot of fans behind them and there is no mistaking they come out to see their team when their on the road. There is no doubt that this is anticipated series with both teams having a lot of history and tradition.

#5 One thing about Hicks he’s been effective and he wanted to go back and look at some tape and see if he was giving anything away. Something to review for his next outing.

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hits a two run home off of San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jun 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

New York-AL (41-19). 202 000 030. 7 11 1

San Francisco (29-30) 002 010 000. 3. 5.0

Time: 2:22

Attendance: 34,487

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–With tonight’s 7-3 loss to the red hot New York Yankees, the Giants slipped once more below the .500 mark.

They had been relying on Logan Webb to give some stability to their rotation and a chance for their bullpen to catch its breath. Those hopes were dimmed in the top of the first when New York’s number three batter, Aaron Judge, sent a three and two change up 464 feet into center field for his 21st home run of the season, a two run blast that drove in Juan Soto and put the Yanks ahead from the get go.

They padded that lead in the third on a leadoff single by DJ LeMahieu, a double by Anthony Volpe, Soto’s sacrifice fly to left that almost left the park, an intentional walk to Judge, and an RBI single executed to the opposite field by Alex Verdugo.

It now was 4-0 in favor of the Bronx Bombers. All four runs were earned, but Webb didn’t let them score again, leaving after seven innings on the mound and allowing seven hits and one base on balls. He struck out six and threw a total of 108 pitches, of which 74 were strikes, it was a gutsy performance, but Webb was the losing pitcher, and his record now is 4-5, 2.95. That he went as deep into the game as he did was a slight and possible long run help to this beleaguered team.

Cody Poteet, who started for the Yankees tonight, had been recalled from Syracuse on Thursday, when Clarke Schmidt was placed on the injured list with a right lateral strain. His loss was a serious blow to the Yanks; he was their second-best hurler in their rotation this year, going 5-3, 2.52 in 11 starts.

At the time of his promotion, Poteet was on two ILs, the International League and its Injured List thanks to a blister, which had healed just before his callup He had an ERA of 4.05 in his seven Syracuse starts and had given a fine account of himself in an April spot start for the Yankees against the Guardians in Cleveland, where he surrendered only one run in six innings of work.

He wasn’t that effective tonight, although the Yanks still were leading when he left the game and he got the win, making him 2-0. He had pitched five innings and allowed three runs, two of them earned, on three hits, one of them a home run, and a walk. His pitch count was 78, including 47 strikes. His big league ERA now is 2.45.

Casey Schmitt, the shortstop whom the Giants had just recalled from Sacramento cut the visitor’s four run lead in half in the bottom of the third with his 400 foot blast into the left field bleachers with Trenton Brooks, who had walked, on first. It was Schmitt’s first homer in his current stay in the show. He ended up going two for four.

The Yankees threatened again in the top of the fifth. Soto’s two out liner to center got past a charging Matos for a two out triple that brought the dangerous Judge to the plate. After falling behind, 2-0, Webb fanned the major leagues’ leading home run hitter.

The hosts narrowed the gap to one tally in their half of the frame. Ramos legged out a single to short and took second on Volpe’s errant throw to first. He was called out at third after he tried to advance on Schmitt’s fly to Judge in right center, but that call was reversed on video review, enabling Ramos to score on Brett Wisely’s single to right.

It still was 4-3 in favor of New York when Ian Hamilton took the mound to replace Poteet to open the home sixth. He set the Giants down in order and gave way to Caleb Ferguson the seventh inning stretch. He allowed a single and a walk but no runs.

When the Yankees next came to bat, Ryan Walker had relieved Webb. He fanned Volpe and Soto, but then Judge hit a grounder up the middle that Wisely. playing second, made a nice backhanded grab of but threw off balance, late and inaccurately past first.

Judge scored all the way from first on Vertigo’s punishing triple to right center and coasted home on Giancarlo Stanton’s 14th home run of the year, a 368 foot shot into the left field bleachers.

That gave Tommy Kahnie a 7-3 lead to work with in the bottom of the eighth, a cushion he protected by striking out two of the three batters he faced to set San Francisco down in order. Randy Ramírez faced three batters in the top of the ninth, and, with the help of a pitcher’s best friend, kept them from scoring.

The Giants will try to salvage one game of the series and claw their way back to .500 tomorrow, Sunday, at 1:05. The Yankees plan on starting Néstor Cortés ((3-4, 3.30). The Giants are relying, with their fingers crossed, on Blake Snell (0-3, 10.42). A lot could hinge on his performance.

The New York Yankees Alex Verdugo (24) and Aaron Judge (99) leap for joy after Judge’s home run in the top of the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium in New York on Fri May 31, 2024 (AP News photo)

New York (AL) (40-19). 003 003 000 6. 9. 0

San Francisco (29-29). 010.001 000. 2 7. 1

Time: 2:24

Attendance: 35,018

Friday, May 31, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Friday night’s 6-2 loss to the American League leading New York Yankees was not entirely unexpected in spite of the home team’s just finished taking two out of three from the major league leading Philadelphia Phillies.

The Giants’ injury problems are too numerous and too well known to recount. Nevertheless, we have an update on them. Marco Luciano was placed on the 15 day IL after injuring his hamstring in last Wednesday’s game. Casey Schmitt has been recalled from Sacramento as his replacement. The good news is that Nick Ahmed is on the mind.

The visitors have an injury problem of their own. Clarke Schmidt, their number two starting pitcher, who was 5-3, 2.52 in 11 appearances this year, was placed on the 15 day injured list, retroactive to May 27, yesterday.

Dr. Neal ElAtrrache, whose name has become familiar to Giants’ fans in the past few weeks, diagnosed Schmidt with a right lateral strain. The right hander was the probable pitcher for Saturday’s, contest, but isn’t expected to throw for at least four weeks.

Cody Poteet will replace Schmidt in the rotation, and Cody Morris will take his place in the roster. Gerrit Cole, who went 15-4, 2.63 last year, still is out of action and will have to wait a few weeks before he can combat test his inflamed elbow

Jordan Hicks, who used to be a reliever, hasn’t acted in that capacity all this season. This was his 12th start of the year, and he brought a record of 4-1,2.33 to it. Some people wear their heart on their sleeve; the 27 year old righty wears the inscription “Type 1” on his cleats because he, like the A’s rookie phenom, Mason Miller, is a type one diabetic.

Hicks underperformed tonight. He exited the scene after hurling 5-1/3 innings, in which he delivered 101 pitches, 68 of which went into the books as strikes. Four of the five runs he was charged with were earned, and they came on eight hits, two of which left the park. He didn’t walk anybody, though, and notched four Ks. He was the losing pitcher and went home with a record of 4-2, 2.70.

Hicks was matched against nine year veteran and two time all-star Marcus Stroman. It also was his 12th start of the year, and he came into it at 4-2, 2.76, with an ERA of 1.78 in his previous five. He hadn’t allowed a run in three of his 11 starts.

Friday night, however, Hicks gave up two runs, both earned, before Luke Weaver relieved him with one out and the bases empty in the home half of the eighth and finished up the game by allowing only a ninth inning single to Estrada. Stroman threw 91 pitches, 56 for strikes, and allowed six hits and two walks on the way to gaining his fifth win and lowering his already impressive earned run average to 2.73.

San Francisco thwarted The Curse of the Leadoff Double to draw first blood in the second inning. Patrick Bailey followed Matt Chapman’s Texas League two bagger to right right with a line drive that just barely evaded second sacker Glyber Torres’ glove for a single to right that put runners on the corners. Jorge Soler’s sacrifice fly to right brought Chapman home.

That advantage was short lived. Aaron Judge gave it a death sentence with his 394 foot blast over the Hanwha Life advertisement for his 19th home run and 42nd, 43rd, and 44th RBI of the season. Anthony Volpe and Juan Soto, each of whom had singled, were on base with one man out at the time.

Judge homered again in his next at bat a towering 426 foot blast over the fence, into the net just to the right of the Giants’ bullpen, making it 4-1 in the top of the sixth. After that Hicks retired Verdugo, surrendered an infield hit to Torres, and retired for the night.

Taylor Rogers replaced him, and all hell broke loose. Anthony Rizzo smacked an authoritative double to right, moving Torres to third. In his attempt to relay Mike Yastrzemski’s throw from right Rogers overthrew home and allowed both Torres and Rizzo to score. The Bronx Bombers now held a 6-1 lead.

A two out double in the bottom of the inning by Mike Yastrzemski with Trenton Brooks, who had walked, on base inched the Giants closer by a run. They never got closer.

Luke Jackson set the visitors down in order in their half of the seventh. Sean Hjelle opened the top of the eighth by retiring Judge, who had gone three for three, on a fly to right and putting the Yanks down without allowing any one to reach base safely in that inning or the ninth.

However disappointing the defeat was, the Giants’ first baseman, Brooks had the consolation of getting his first major league hit, a single to right in third. He was wiped out in the next play when Luis Matos hit into a 6-4-3 twin killing and walked and struck out in his two remaining plate appearances.

Saturday, evening the plan is for the Giants’ RHP Logan Webb (4-4, 2.74) to face off against the Yankees RHP Cody Poteet (1-0, 1.50). It probably will offer San Francisco its best shot for winning one of the three games in this series. First pitch is slated for 7:05pm PT.