About Last Night: YANKS WIN!

By Paul Semendinger

July 31, 2024

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About Last Night - The Yankees played, and WON the second game of the three game series with the Phillies. Gerrit Cole was supposed to get the start, but he was replaced due to fatigue. I assume Brian Cashman was also fatigued after trying unsucessfully to improve the roster substantially for the stretch run.

Will Warren made the start for the Yankees in place of Cole. This was his MLB debut. He allowed four runs in 5.1 innings. It was a pretty good start. Three of the runs came in the bottom of the second on a three-run homer by newly acquired Austin Hays of the Phillies. Warren then kept the Phillies from scoring.

It was, again, for the Yankees, The Jazz Show. He homered to make a 4-1 game in which the Yankees were down into a 4-2 game, then, in his next at bat, he homered again to make the 4-2 game a 5-4 game in favor of the Yankees. Later, he made an excellent defensive play. He wasn't done...

But, Jazz isn't all there is and Clay Holmes pulled another rock as the Phillies did some grunge work and tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth.

In the 10th, it wasn't classical baseball. The Yankees didn't have enough pop to score in their half. The Phillies also did not score as Mark Leiter, just acquired, made his Yankees debut and worked in and out of trouble in the 10th.

in the 11th inning, the Yankees hip hopped their way to a run thanks to the imaginary runner. Then in the bottom of the inning, Michael Tonkin came in for the Yankees and it wasn't easy listening for New York. The Phillies also scored and the game continued.

In the 12th, Jazz Chisholm blooped a single to get the imaginary runner (Austin Wells) to third base with no outs. Wells then scored on a Gleyber Torres sacrifice fly. Michael Tonkin pitched a perfect 12th and the Yankees won.

The Phillies were left singing the blues.

Quick Stats:

• Will Warren: 5.1 ip, 4 hits, 4 runs, 6 strikeouts

• Jazz Chisholm homered. Only three Yankees have had three home runs in their first three games: Jazz, Eric Hinske, and Dave Kingman.

• Jazz Chisholm then homered again - his second consecutive two-homer game! No Yankee has ever hit four homers in his first three games.

• Juan Soto: 1 hit, 2 walks

• Aaron Judge: 3 for 4, 2 walks

• Anthony Volpe: 2 Hits

Big Story:

The Yankees underwhelmed at the Trade Deadline, but they have not been underwhelming on the field over the last week. Are they back? Maybe. It will be interesting to see. With the win, they have now won two consecutive series. It's a start.

Going forward for the rest of the season, the Yankees will play series against the Blue Jays, Angels, Rangers (twice), White Sox, Tigers, Rockies, Nationals, Cubs, and A's. All of those teams are under .500. The schedule is kind to the Yankees. That should help them have a strong second half the rest of the way.

In this game, Clay Holmes again couldn't close out a win. It would have been nice if the Yankees had acquired a strong closer. Alas!

The game last night had one of those "this will never end" feels, in part, because it never seemed to end. But, the Yankees held tough and won against a tough Phillies team.

Player of the Game:

Jazz Chisholm. Two homers and at least one great play at third base. He then had a single to get Austin Wells to third in the 12th to be in place to score the eventual winning run. Chisholm had five runs batted in. It has been an amazing and inspiring start for him as a Yankee.

Better to Forget:

D.J. LeMahieu is going so badly (.173) at the plate that the Yankees sent up Giancarlo Stanton to pinch-hit for him in the 12th inning. Stanton is a terrible pinch hitter. Going into the game he was 6-for-46 as a pinch hitter in his career. Stanton also had only returned from the IL the night before. Stanton, of course, struck out. He's now 0-for-5 in his "he doesn't need rehab games" return.

My Take:

I am not home and had to watch on the YES app which was spotty last night. I also have two baby grandchildren who like my attention so my pitch-by-pitch focus wasn't there until the late innings when the game never ended.

I was pleased, overall, with Will Warren's performance. That being said, it was one game. It gives hope, but far too many people put far too much value into one game or even a few games. This year alone we have heard that Ben Rice is a proven MLB hitter, that Anthony Volpe should always bat lead-off, that Gerrit Cole is back, that D.J. LeManhieu has found his stroke, that Jazz Chisholm is a proven third baseman, and more. Warren did well enough. It was a nice start to his career. But, again, it was one game.

Jazz Chisholm continues to bring amazing energy and performance. I am pleased the Yankees acquired him, but, again, let's see what happens over a longer sample size. I would have been happier if Chisholm were part of a bigger collection of deals, rather than the only big deal the Yankees made. In his first few games, though, he has been a delight both with the bat and with the glove.

The Yankees deserve credit for battling throughout. The Phillies also battled, but the Yankees prevailed.

Next Up:

This series concludes with a 12:30 p.m. afternoon game. Nestor Cortes, who the "experts" said would be traded, and wasn't will take the mound for the Yankees. Nestor's record on the road this year is 0-5 6.18 in 11 starts. He'll probably throw a no-hitter.