NEW YORK — Though he’s having essentially the most troublesome season of his profession, don’t underestimate Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu.
For the second time in lower than every week, LeMahieu got here by means of within the clutch for New York, this time with a walk-off single in a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays in 10 innings on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. It was a recreation that was delayed for 1:49 by rain earlier than the underside of the eighth.
That got here 4 days after LeMahieu drove in a career-high six runs towards the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon. He’s 3-for-8 (.375) in his previous three video games to lift his batting common to .184
“I do know he has been working arduous making refined changes to his swing. I feel he’s feeling some good,” supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned about LeMahieu. “I feel the at-bats are getting higher. He’s transferring the needle. Hopefully, he’ll achieve somewhat confidence. He can play such an enormous position for us. I’m actually excited for him.”
After leaving 14 runners on base and stranding the bases loaded 3 times, the Yankees got here up clutch towards reliever Bowden Francis within the backside of the tenth. Anthony Volpe scored the successful run on a one-out single by LeMahieu by means of Toronto’s five-man infield. New York gained its third consecutive sequence and remained tied with the Orioles for first place within the American League East.
“We’re excited. It was a terrific win. It was a type of video games we felt we had some possibilities, and we simply lastly put it away. It was a very good win for us,” LeMahieu mentioned. “I used to be in a position to work on a couple of issues, and I’m taking some fairly good swings. I’m feeling a lot better on the plate.”
Earlier than the sport got here to an finish, the Yankees may breathe a sigh of aid concerning right-hander Gerrit Cole. After lacking a begin due to common physique fatigue and a abdomen bug, Cole was again on the mound towards the Blue Jays. He was stable for five 2/3 innings in a no-decision.
“I believed the stuff obtained higher as the sport went on,” Cole mentioned. “We had been notably higher with our pitch choice. I felt fairly good stamina-wise. I made sufficient good pitches right now.”
After hanging out two in a scoreless first, Cole obtained into bother within the second because the Blue Jays scored two runs. With one out, Alejandro Kirk hit a ground-rule double, and Addison Barger doubled to right-center discipline to attain Kirk. Barger scored on a two-out single by Ernie Clement.
After Cole acquired a go to from pitching coach Matt Blake, he settled down, getting Joey Loperfido to fly out to Aaron Choose in left discipline to finish the body.
After a leadoff double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. within the third, Cole retired 10 of the following 11 hitters he confronted earlier than leaving the sport with two outs within the backside of the sixth inning in favor of Luke Weaver.
“I felt all day lengthy he had a very good fastball, a very good profile of it,” Boone mentioned of Cole. “I believed he was in a position to settle in as he went. … I believed he had a very good presence. He did a very good job along with his curveball, slowing them down somewhat bit and nonetheless utilizing his fastball. It was good to see the life on his fastball. I feel he drained somewhat on the finish. He completed actual sturdy.”
New York tied the rating at 2 within the backside of the sixth inning. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Volpe began the body with singles off right-hander Zach Pop. In got here left-hander Ryan Yarbrough for Toronto. After a double steal, Chisholm scored on a groundout by Trent Grisham, and Volpe scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by LeMahieu.
This wasn’t a recreation during which Choose carried the membership offensively. The truth is, he was walked deliberately 3 times. It was Juan Soto who stepped up within the seventh inning towards left-hander Génesis Cabrera, working the rely to 2-1 earlier than hitting the ball to deep left-center discipline. The ball hit the highest of the wall, then bounced into the bullpen for Soto’s twenty eighth dwelling run of the season.
Nevertheless it was LeMahieu who had the large hit of the day.
“It’s simply completely deserving,” Cole mentioned. “He actually had a very good day on the plate. It’s good to see guys like that come by means of within the clutch and win a recreation, particularly a man like DJ.”
