New York Yankees 1, Texas Rangers 0
NEW YORK — With two runners on base in the ninth inning, Ron Marinaccio got Marcus Semien out with a game-ending popup. In the eighth inning, Clay Holmes did an amazing job of leaving two men on base. As a result, the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 1-0 on Saturday. Even though Aaron Judge said that he still has a long way to go before he can play again because of an injury to his right toe, this win happened anyway.
Since his promotion two weeks ago as a replacement for Judge, Billy McKinney has now belted his fourth home run. Prior to the game, Judge revealed that he is grappling with a torn ligament in his toe, which induces discomfort during walking.
In the fourth inning, Billy McKinney delivered a powerful hit against Jon Gray (6-3), causing the ball to ricochet off the hand of a spectator seated approximately halfway up the right-field bleachers. Impressively, McKinney has successfully reached base in all 15 games he has played with the Yankees this season.
Sporting a fresh haircut, Luis Severino (1-2) took to the mound and surrendered only five hits across six innings. With the assistance of four relievers, the Yankees achieved their fifth shutout of the season. Interestingly, Severino observed the final out from the clubhouse while Ron Marinaccio sealed New York’s fourth 1-0 victory, determined by a home run, since 2009.
Severino expressed that he had been perspiring inside and described the experience as great. He acknowledged the exceptional performance of the bullpen throughout the year, emphasizing their ability to handle any situation and accomplish their tasks effectively.
In a display of offensive efficiency, the New York Yankees emerged victorious despite only mustering four hits. Impressively, this marked the sixth occasion in the last seven games where the team managed six hits or fewer. However, their batting average for the month of June stands at a major league-low .191, and they have accumulated a total of 61 runs in 19 games. Notably, the team’s record stands at 11-16 while Judge remains on the injured list, and they are 7-10 since his right big toe sprain at Dodger Stadium on June 3. Conversely, when the AL MVP is available, the Yankees boast a strong record of 31-19.
With an ERA of 9.16 in his last four starts, Severino took the mound seeking a turnaround. This game marked his first victory since his return last month from a right lat strain that had kept him out of action since spring training. Demonstrating his prowess on the field, Severino managed to strike out four batters while issuing only two walks.
Severino showcased his improved form with a series of 48 four-seam fastballs, which boasted an average speed of 97.2 mph. This represented a notable increase compared to his previous outings.
Boone remarked that he believed Severino exhibited good movement on his fastball once again, and he also noted an improvement in his secondary pitches. According to Boone, these positive developments were evident during the game.
A crucial run was prevented in the first inning thanks to the efforts of right fielder Jake Bauers. He successfully threw out Nathaniel Lowe, who was attempting to score from second base on Josh Jung’s single. Bauers’ accurate throw played a pivotal role in saving the run.
Bauers, who has accumulated nine career outfield assists, mentioned that while it is always tempting to test the arm of the outfielder, his primary focus was on making an accurate throw and placing it in the right spot.
With its bullpen, which boasts the best ERA in the big leagues at 2.89, New York successfully fended off the challenge posed by the top-ranked offense in Major League Baseball.
Following a flawless 1-2-3 performance by Tommy Kahnle in the seventh inning, Wandy Peralta took over and surrendered singles to Semien and Corey Seager. However, he swiftly recovered by striking out Lowe.
Holmes induced Adolis García to ground out, but unfortunately, the third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa was unable to execute the double play. Holmes then threw a wild pitch, causing the runners to advance to second and third base. However, he quickly regained his composure and recorded a crucial strikeout against Jung with an 84 mph sweeper pitch.
As the ninth inning began, Texas managed to place two runners on base. However, Marinaccio, who took the mound after a five-day rest, showcased his skills by striking out both Ezequiel Durán and Leody Taveras. Despite falling behind in the count against Semien at 3-1, Marinaccio managed to induce a crucial popup, securing his second save of the game.
Boone commented on Ron’s fearless nature, stating that regardless of the situation at hand, Ron remains undeterred.
Semien made a notable impact with three out of Texas’ eight hits, highlighting his significant contribution. Notably, he entered the at-bat with an impressive .403 batting average when there were runners in scoring position this year.
Marinaccio described the situation as similar to any other at-bat, emphasizing that there were already two outs in the ninth inning. He stated that his focus was on delivering one more pitch, and fortunately for the team, the batter flew out.
Gray gave up just one run and surrendered three hits over the course of five innings.
The Texas Rangers were unable to put any runs on the board, marking the sixth time they have been blanked this year. Their struggles were evident, as they only managed to go 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left a total of 10 runners stranded.
Manager Bruce Bochy expressed that the team was unfortunate in their pursuit of a crucial hit, noting that it eluded them. He mentioned that they had the right players at the plate during the later stages of the game, particularly in a couple of innings. Bochy acknowledged that it was an ideal situation, but the opposing pitchers managed to work their way out of it.
UP NEXT
In an upcoming matchup, Texas right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (9-3, 2.80 ERA) will face off against New York right-handed pitcher Gerrit Cole (8-1, 2.64 ERA). Notably, Eovaldi had an impressive outing against the Yankees earlier in the season, throwing 113 pitches in a three-hit shutout on April 29 in Texas.
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