About Yesterday: Yankees 4, Blue Jays 2

by Tamar Chalker

August 22, 2022

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On the day the Yankees honored Paul O'Neill by retiring number 21, the Bronx Bombers did their part by taking a big victory from Toronto. Nestor Cortes, Jr. had a strong start and Andrew Benintendi picked up his first homer in pinstripes, helping the Yankees pick up a much-needed win.

Quick Stats:

• Nestor Cortes, Jr. scattered three hits over six innings. He gave up one walk and struck out five. The lone run was a solo shot by Whit Merrifield that truly almost didn't make it over the fence.

• Alex Manoah took the ball for the Blue Jays, and while he threw a lot of pitches and a lot of balls early, the Yankees weren't able to take great advantage of his inconsistency. He racked up 8 Ks and only two walks, allowing two runs and four hits.

• Andrew Benintendi went 2-3 with two runs scored, two RBIs, a walk, and the home run that gave New York the W.

• DJ LeMahieu went 2-4 and had an RBI.

• Lou Trivino got the win. He threw a crucial 2.1 innings and allowed just one walk.

The Big Story:

Paul O'Neill was the focus of the day, with a nice ceremony before the game and a bunch of Yankee greats in attendance. With how badly the Yankees have played of late, it felt like the best part of the game might come before the first pitch, but that was not the case. The Yankees had great performances on the mound and at the plate, a moment of potential drama when Aaron Judge got plunked, and some nice plays in the field. Perhaps the celebratory start of the day and the presence of Jorge, Bernie, Tino, and Mo kick-started something.

Players of the Game:

Andrew Benintendi picked up his first Yankee homer at the perfect moment. His two-run shot in the seventh landed in the second deck and put the Yankees out in front 4-2. He was 2-3 with two runs scored, a walk, and a double.

Lou Trivino's performance cannot be overstated enough. The Yankees pulled Cortes before the seventh and the bullpen struggled until Trivino stopped Toronto's rally.

He threw two more innings, closing out the game without giving up a run.

Notable Performances:

DJ LeMahieu went 2-4 with a RBI.

Better to Forget:

Aaron Judge continues to struggle at the plate. He went 0-3 with two Ks. The only time he reached first was when he got hit by a pitch.

My Take:

With Matt Carpenter and Giancarlo Stanton injured, Judge struggling at the plate, and a bullpen that has been lackluster of late, the Yankees haven't played with much swagger or fight. They clearly are in need of something to get them going again, and this game seemed like a good start.

Benintendi, LeMahieu, and Rizzo all had key at bats. Benintendi's homer gave the Stadium a big jolt of energy, but it was preceded by a slow roller that Jose Trevino legged out for a single and a sac bunt by Marwin Gonzales. The Yankees have been successful this season because of their ability to add more small-ball to their offense and I thought that inning was a good sign for them.

As tepid as the offense has been this August, I do believe the Yankees hitters will get things going again sooner rather than later. Another strong outing from Cortes is also nice to see, but the bullpen still concerns me.

Next Up:

A two-game Subway Series will start the week for the Yankees, as the Mets will take a trip to the Bronx. Domingo German will take the ball for the Yankees, while the Bronx Bombers will face Max Scherzer who is 9-2 with a 2.15 ERA and 134 Ks on the season. The first pitch is at 7:05 pm.