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Luis Severino started this game with an extra day of rest thanks to yesterday’s rainout, but it didn’t seem to do him any good. It was clear early on that he just didn’t have it today, and Joe Girardi was forced to turn to the bullpen in the third inning. Chad Green had a tremendous outing, and it looked like the Yankees might cruise to a 4-3 victory. Everything fell apart for Adam Warren in the top of the seventh, but the Yankee offense immediately picked him up by scoring six runs in the bottom half. Now the Yankees just need to sweep the doubleheader to salvage this series.
The Yankees wasted no time today, scoring their first run in the first inning after Brett Gardner hit a lead-off double and Matt Holliday drove him in. However, this lead didn’t last long. George Springer was hit in the back to start the third inning and scored on a Carlos Correa single up the middle. Evan Gattis and Marwin Gonzalez followed with back-to-back RBI singles. With one out, Yuli Gurriel hit yet another single to load the bases and bring Severino’s day to an end. Green inherited a mess from Sevy, but he got out of it without allowing a run to score after Alex Bregman grounded into a double play.
Mike Fiers entered this game having already surrendered 14 home runs this season, and he added two more to that number today. Starlin Castro hit a two-run dinger to right in the fourth inning to tie the game. Aaron Judge followed with a towering shot off the restaurant to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.
Over his next three innings of work, Green shut the Astros down. He gave up just one hit, walked one batter, and notched three strikeouts. Despite the fact that Green is stretched out and could have stayed in the game, Girardi turned to Adam Warren for the seventh inning. Josh Reddick hit a leadoff single, Jose Altuve walked, and Gattis hit an RBI single past a diving Castro. It looked like the Yankees were going to be able to turn two when Gonzalez followed with a grounder to Castro, but Castro’s throw to Didi Gregorius sailed into left field. Altuve scored on the play, and Gurriel’s sac fly gave the Astros a 6-4 lead.
The Yankees got right back to work in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Gardner singled and Jacoby Ellsbury doubled to left. Holliday followed with an RBI single up the middle off of Correa’s glove. At this point, the Astros turned to Chris Devenski to keep their lead intact and he was unable to do so. Castro tied the game with a double to right then the Astros intentionally walked Judge to load the bases. Gregorius struck out, leaving it all up to Chase Headley. He has not been playing well lately, but he came up with a huge bases-clearing triple. Chris Carter doubled to tack on another run.
For good measure, Gardner hit a solo shot the following inning to give the Yankees their eleventh and final run of the game. This game had everything: shaky defense, rain, and a comeback win.
The second game of this doubleheader will start after the pregame ceremony, but not before 7:35 PM. Can the Yankees win two for Jeter?