Danny Jansen Hits Game Winning Home Run

Yankees 0 Blue Jays 3 (10 innings)

Can I say I love Danny Jansen? A tenth-inning home run, a game-winning home run! WOW.

Chris Bassitt hasn’t given up a run in his last three starts. 27 innings without a run scored against him. That’s a pretty amazing run. But we couldn’t score for him tonight, so no W. Tonight, Chris went 7 innings, allowing just 3 hits, 1 walk with 7 strikeouts.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t score for him. Gerrit Cole went 6 innings and allowed 7 hits and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts. We had our chances:

• In the first inning, our first two batters each reached on errors. George Springer on a throwing error by Oswaldo Cabrera and an error on Cole on what should have been a 3-1 ground out, but Cole couldn’t handle the throw. But a popout (Varsho), and two strikeouts (Chapman and Belt) ended the fun.
• We had a one-out double by Alejandro Kirk in the second but strikeouts by Danny Jansen and Santiago Espinal stranded him.
• In the third, we loaded the bases with two outs on single by Varsho and Chapman and a walk to Belt, but Whit Merrifield popped out.
• We had a Belt walk and a Kirk single in the sixth, but Jansen hit into a double play.
• The seventh started out with singles from Espinal and Springer. Still couldn’t score.
• The eight started with a Belt single. Cavan Biggio pinch ran. Merrifield singled after trying to bunt for two strikes. I hate bunts, but we had two on and no outs. But Kirk hit a soft liner to short and Biggio took one step towards third and was doubled off.

Yimi Garcia started the seventh. He got two outs and then walked Aaron Judge (nothing wrong with that). Tim Mayza came in to face lefty Anthony Rizzo, but he walked him on five pitches. Then he walked DJ LeMahieu. Thankfully he got Anthony Volpe to strikeout and end the inning.

Jordan Romano pitched a quick ninth on 11 pitches.

Michael King came in for the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth and walked Springer on 5 pitches. Bo Bichette hit into a 5-3 ground out, that moved up Springer. Nice throw by DJ LeMahieu. Varsho took a 5-pitch walk. Chapman hit into a 3-1 ground out, moving up the runners but making the second out. And Biggio, who pinch ran in the eighth, popped out. Tom may have shouted a swear word very loudly.

And we were on to extras:

Top of the 10th:

Romano in for a second inning, Isiah Kiner-Falefa starting at second base.

Oswaldo Cabrera ground out, moving the runner to third. Gleyber Torres strikes out. The Jays decided to walk Judge and have Romano face the lefty Rizzo. Judge stole second (could have been called defensive indifference but wasn’t). Rizzo struck out. Great job, Jordan.

Bottom of the ninth:

Biggio starts at second base. Wandy Peralta, a lefty, is into the game.

Merrifield up at bat. Might be a bunt stop, but Merrifield looked terrible bunting his last at bat. Whit grounds one up the middle and Volpe (playing short, couldn’t come up with it, runners on first and third). The Yankees go with the five-man infield, there was a discussion about where the 5th guy can play. Apparently, whichever side of second the fifth guy starts, he has to stay all at bat. Kirk up. He grounds to short, but the Yankees don’t have anyone covering second, so no double play. Runners on second and third. Danny Jansen up and he hits the first pitch out of the park for a game-winning home run. His second game-winning hit this week.

Jays of the Day: Bassitt (.434 WPA), Romano (.266), Merrifield (.243), Springer (.138) and Belt (.106). And I’m giving one to Jansen, because he deserves it.

The Other Award: Kirk (-.239, some of that is on Biggio for turning his line out into a double play), Chapman (-.197), Varsho (-.136) and Biggio (-.133, plus the bad moment on the bases).

Tomorrow the series ends. Nestor Cortes (3-2, 5,53 ERA) starts for the Evil Doers. Jose Berrios (3-3, 4.70) for the side of good.