It is imperative that the New York Yankees go on as hot a streak as possible after being swept in four games by the Boston Red Sox, https://sportsvolt.rhd.io/yankees-swept-in-beantown-on-brutal-walk-off/9565 expanding the AL East race to 9.5 games and narrowing the race for the top Wild Card spot with the Oakland A’s to just 2.5 games.
They have a series of “easy matchups” through the end of August, starting with the Chicago White Sox.
Let’s begin with the main story of this game, the pitching.
Lance Lynn was on the mound for the Yankees, making his first start since being traded to the team for a package headlined by Tyler Austin.
It was Lynn’s second appearance, overall, for the Yanks, as he relieved Sonny Gray against the Orioles in Gray’s last start before being removed from the rotation.
Lynn was absolutely dazzling in this one. He surrendered a walk and an infield single in the first inning, but stranded the runners with an inning-ending strikeout.
After that infield single, though, Lynn settled down and beautifully choreographed a stretch where he retired 19 consecutive White Sox hitters.
6th K and a lil dance from Lance pic.twitter.com/h58Ng06VjS
— David Mendelsohn (@BigBabyDavid_) August 7, 2018
That streak ended with the eighth inning’s leadoff batter, and Lynn got one more out before being replaced with AJ Cole.
Lynn’s line: 7.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K. He threw 108 pitches and has rapidly earned the trust of Yankee fans everywhere after this performance + his 4.1 scoreless innings against the Orioles.
His total stats with the Yankees: 11.2 innings, 7 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 14 strikeouts.
Cole pitched 1.2 scoreless innings with no real issue to end the game.
Lynn wasn’t the only thing of note for this game, though: the offense also came alive.
They first got on the board with an Aaron Hicks single in the top of the fourth inning.
https://twitter.com/MaxWildstein/status/1026636199467708417
Gleyber Torres used the opportunity to break out of his funk, poking an RBI single up the middle, himself.
https://twitter.com/MaxWildstein/status/1026637076815536128
They tacked on more an inning later when Kyle Higashioka scored on a wild pitch by the White Sox.
Higgy Hustlin' pic.twitter.com/opyfSr8YIe
— David Mendelsohn (@BigBabyDavid_) August 7, 2018
Didi Gregorius followed suit with a flare down the left field line that scored a hustling Brett Gardner from second.
Gardy gets the green light…..
Close play at the plate…..
He is….. SAFE!@Yankees take a 4-0 lead!#YANKSonYES LIVE stream:https://t.co/6ALL6SzYRQ pic.twitter.com/5NBMyruSCb
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 7, 2018
They would add more runs in style in the eighth inning. Gleyber Torres hit a home run that looked like it was caught, but wasn’t, extending the lead to 5-0.
https://twitter.com/MaxWildstein/status/1026656836395524096
It was Gleyber’s 18th home run of the season.
That wasn’t all, though. Neil Walker crushed a two run shot that plated both himself and Miguel Andujar to give the Yanks a 7-0 lead for good measure.
https://twitter.com/MaxWildstein/status/1026657875773382656
The Yankees get an easy win, 7-0, and set themselves up to obliterate and sweep the lowly White Sox.
Game two of this series is Tuesday night. CC Sabathia will be on the bump.
Featured Image via Flickr/Keith Allison
