It is not yet October, but if this is what it is going to be like for the Yankees, it may be time to load up on the antacids.
On the first night of a crucial four-game series against the Red Sox, who were breathing down the Yankees’ necks for the top AL wild card, runs were at a premium. But pitching and defense — namely, Cody Bellinger’s left arm — were enough to save the day.
Bellinger’s perfect throw home to nail a runner in the seventh inning kept a one-run lead intact, allowing the bullpen to preserve the shutout and ultimately secure a nail-biting 1-0 win over the Red Sox on Friday night in The Bronx.
In relief of Cam Schlittler, the Yankees (76-58) had to use the best of their bullpen with a doubleheader looming Saturday, but they made it worth it as Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn and David Bednar got the job done to stay four games back of the Rays for the division and move to three games ahead of the Red Sox (73-61) for the top wild card.
Blackburn was in trouble in the top of the seventh, when he had runners on second and third with one out and Willson Contreras lifted a fly ball to left field.
But Bellinger lined himself up, made the catch and unleashed a 99.7 mph throw home, a one-hopper right into the glove of Austin Wells, who tagged the speedy Ceddanne Rafaela for the inning-ending double play to the roar of 43,476.
There was plenty riding on Bellinger’s left arm, and not just in the Yankees trying to create some breathing room between them and the Red Sox.
The season series is also on the line, which could loom large if it ends up being used as a tiebreaker to determine home-field advantage in a potential AL wild-card series, and the Yankees evened it up 5-5 on Friday night.
Schlittler hardly had his best command — he tied a career high with five walks — but still tossed 5 ²/₃ shutout innings while striking out eight and allowing just two hits against his hometown team.
Patrick Sandoval — the first of three and perhaps four lefties the Red Sox will start this weekend — stifled the Yankees across 5 ¹/₃ innings, allowing just a solo home run to Paul Goldschmidt in the third inning.
The inability to extend their lead could cost the Yankees on Saturday, as they had to use their top three relievers. They had a prime chance to extend their lead in the bottom of the sixth, knocking Sandoval out of the game with one out and the bases loaded. But against former Yankees reliever Greg Weissert, George Lombard Jr. flew out to right field (not deep enough for Ben Rice to try scoring from third) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck out on four pitches.
Making only his fourth start this month — because the Yankees have faced a steady dose of righties, plus the arrival of Luis García Jr. — Goldschmidt gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the third inning when he crushed a low sinker for a homer off Sandoval. It was the veteran first baseman’s 17th home run of the season, the 10th against a left-hander.
Schlittler briefly lost his command in the second inning, when he walked former Yankees farmhands Caleb Durbin and Mickey Gasper back-to-back on 10 pitches. But he rebounded by striking out Jarren Duran on a 101 mph fastball and then getting another former Yankees minor leaguer, Anthony Seigler, to ground out, ending the threat.
The Yankees got a gift in the fifth inning when the Red Sox again had runners on first and second with one out (one of them coming on another Schlittler walk). Trent Grisham made a running catch on a sinking liner to center field and then threw the ball to second. But Rafaela, the trail runner, was way off the bag at first base, allowing Chisholm to receive the relay and fire to first for the inning-ending double play.
Instead of having to face Contreras with two runners on and his pitch count at 90 — with Headrick warming in the bullpen — Schlittler got to start the sixth inning and record an extra two outs, which was important with a doubleheader looming on Saturday.
After Schlittler walked Durbin to end his night at 102 pitches, Headrick came on and played with fire, walking pinch hitter Jahmai Jones and then giving up a swinging bunt to pinch hitter Eli White that loaded the bases. But Headrick escaped by getting a third pinch hitter, Andruw Monasterio, to fly out to right field on a full count.”
