Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4: Save Some One-Run Losses to the Yankees for The Rest of the League, Guys, Jeez!

 

seemed like a nice enough night though

Monday night, it was Vladdy making the final out, leaving Jésus Sanchez lingering at second as the would-be tying run; Tuesday night, it was Kazuma Okamoto, with Ernie Clement as the tying run at third. Of the two, I found Tuesday night's ninth inning for sure the more bothersome, on account of how Ernie Clement probably should have taken third on the Vladdy sac fly that had scored Giménez, and, had he done so, he'd have scored easily on Varsho's subsequent weird single to second that drew the first baseman so far off the bag that nobody was there for the throw at first (should it have been the pitcher? is that who should have probably covered first? arguably; arguably). In fairness to Ernie, though, he had entered the game as pinch hitter mere moments before, and really should have been rested the whole evening, as he has strep throat, and is no doubt legit tuckered. Take a couple days, Ernie! Grab a blanket and get set up on the couch, guy! But he did not. Or at least he has not yet. Dylan Cease got touched up for five runs in four innings, which you're never going to feel good about, but all the damage came on really just two swings from a lineup replete with sluggers and their sluggings, and he struck out nine, so while it was a two-homer game (not great!) it wasn't a total disaster, and he'll no doubt be fine (indeed, he will almost certainly be excellent). Let's hear it for the bullpen, though, as Adam Macko, Chase Lee (welcome aboard!), Mason Fluharty, and Louis Varland allowed just two hits betweenst them (good job, guys).

Another really good, close game. Nobody likes to drop the first two of a four-game set in Yankee Stadium, but the split is still in play; let us pursue it? Tonight, it's Trey Yesavage, who has been very good so far, and Cam Schlittler, who has been even better, and whose name, to me, is inseparable from the various pronunciations the great Buck Martinez visited upon it (and upon us) in what turned out to be his final season in the broadcast booth. I miss Buck, and I hope he's having a nice spring. 

KS