Series Finale Win For The Yankees

Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports

BRONX, NY — Carlos Rodón had to be the stopper and the Yankees needed to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Red Sox. It all worked for manager Aaron Boone and his team Sunday night in the Bronx.

The Yankees needed that jolt, losing eight consecutive to their rivals who surpassed them in the division and AL Wild Card standings. The Yankees needed this 7-2 win, though they never admit that it was urgent with five weeks remaining and a three-game series next in the Bronx with the lowly Washington Nationals.

However Boone implemented a change in the lineup, a struggling Anthony Volpe sat down and José Caballero got his first start at shortstop, a natural position for the sure glove infielder and leading baseball in steals.

“I try to practice just to be prepared for whenever the situation,” Caballero said prior to the Yankees stopping their latest skid. He added, “That’s not easy, but you do it. I think it’s just a mindset. My mindset is just trying to help the team and that’s what I’m doing.”

Caballero will be in the lineup again Monday evening. Volpe was informed about having another day off and used off the bench. Boone said about Volpe, in a 1-for-28 skid and 17 errors, “It’s just been a scuffle offensively here over the past week, 10 days.  I don’t think he’s overly affected by those things. This is a young player (24-year-old) that works his tail off and is super competitive.”

Caballero was flawless at short. His fourth-inning sacrifice fly increased the Yankees lead to 4-0 granting Rodón the needed and early run support. And the Yankees increased their MLB leading team home run lead, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham homered twice.

So the Yankees took the finale of four games. They inched to half game for the top Wild Card spot and with a Toronto loss gained a game in the standings, 5.5 off the pace in third place.

Still some time to gain more ground with 32 games remaining, a task but six combined with the Blue Jays and Red Sox next month at home and at Fenway Park. The Yankees avoided a sweep from the Red Sox, last time was 1939.

“A good win,” said Boone. “Take it day-by-day and get the win,” Chisholm Jr. said. He commented about the first home run milestone, 100th of his career “If sounds better with a win.”

As Boone said it was not the weekend they wanted to have after a successful 5-0 road trip.

The pendulum swung a bit for the Yankees with careless fielding errors, starting pitching that succumbed, and a bullpen that continued to implode.

So a lot of good things happened for the Yankees. Rodón was the stopper, 5.2 innings, two earned runs and one hit on 103 pitches. Three of his five walks in the sixth inning loaded the bases and Luke Weaver allowed a two-run single to Nathaniel Lowe. And Devin Williams tossed a perfect eighth inning, significant for the backend of a struggling pen,

“Today we knew we had to win,” Rodón said. “The boys swung the bats well. Some double plays turned the infield was great. It was a good win. They made it tough there in the sixth but we’ll take the win.”

And for the Yankees to sustain momentum they will need more wins like this. This wasn’t a series outcome the Yankees were expecting, though the Red Sox came to the Bronx making their move, 23-13 in their last 36 games.

“A little momentum going into the next series,” Chisholm said. “Trying to make it to the playoffs, Every game against Boston here has felt like a playoff game. For me, I know that’s exactly what we’re going to have and what we’re going to need to get ready for the playoffs. I know a lot of guys in here feel that, too.”

As Boone said, “A good win nonetheless.”

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com – X: @Ring 786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

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