USATSI_9264162_168381444_lowres

Game 15 Recap: Baby steps

It’s only been 15 games, but we already know what the Yankees are going to look like. They’ll have dry spells on offense for weeks at a time, and offensive explosions. The team will live and die with its power hitters.

Well, Friday night was looking like one of those nights, until the tides turned and the Yankees came away with a 6-3 win. McCann went deep in the second to tie the game at 2-2, and things were pretty silent in the surrounding three innings. All was quiet until the fifth, when Jacoby Ellsbury entered the game for center fielder Aaron Hicks, who was injured trying for a diving catch. Ellsbury provided instant life, picking up his fourth hit in six at-bats and coming around to steal home to tie the game.

What’s that? Small ball? Well, there’s more where that came from. Brian McCann picked up a rare hit with runners in scoring position to push the Yankees ahead for good, 4-3.

For a night, the offense looked like it might be somewhat contact-oriented, and it may serve to get the streaky Yankees on a good run.

 

The Play: McCann’s RBI single to left (+.149 WPA)

It wasn’t the most exciting play of the night (see tonight’s highlight), but it was the most vital. McCann lifted himself out of a 1-for-18 slump in a big way Friday, knocking in two runs via the longball and then one in the sixth to give the Yankees a late lead. It was a single with two outs and a runner in scoring position, and it went to the opposite field. All around, it was giant.

“He hung a changeup, and I was able to stay inside it and shoot it to left,” McCann said after the game. “I stayed on it pretty good.”

 

Top Performers

Yankees – Jacoby Ellsbury (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBIs)

Rays – Logan Forsythe (2-for-5, R, 2 RBIs)

 

Notes

– Didi Gregorius had a big night, going 2-for-3 and bringing his average up to .286.

– Mark Teixeira stole a base.

– McCann ended an 0-for-18 stretch. Girardi said after the game that his toe was probably bothering him, and McCann confirmed that shortly after. He said he’s no longer got a toenail, and it took about four days for the pain to get down to a tolerable level.

– Ivan Nova got out of a jam in the fifth inning for CC Sabathia, and effectively bridged the gap to Betances and Miller. He was a huge help.

The Quote

“I’m still stunned about what happened. I didn’t think I’d ever see that … I don’t think we’ll see that again.” – Brian McCann on Jacoby Ellsbury’s steal of home.

The Highlight: Ellsbury steals home

Next Up

Masahiro Tanaka goes for win No. 2 against Rays top prospect Ian Snell, who will be making his major league debut.

 

Lead photo: Andy Marlin / USA Today Sports

Related Articles

Leave a comment

Use your Baseball Prospectus username