Yankees 2-1 Mariners: Rizzo’s clutch hit confirms playoff berth

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New York Yankees 2-1 Seattle Mariners

Anthony Rizzo delivered a key hit in the 10th inning, lifting the Yankees to a 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night. The victory not only secured the Yankees a postseason berth but also inched them closer to the AL East title, with their magic number dropping to six following an earlier Orioles loss.

The Yankees capitalized on a critical Mariners’ baserunning error to preserve their lead and lock in the much-needed win.

Rizzo’s Extra-Inning Heroics Lift Yankees to Victory

Anthony Rizzo’s RBI double in the 10th inning sealed a 2-1 victory for the Yankees over the Seattle Mariners. Rizzo’s clutch hit came after a two-out single in the second inning, which brought home Jasson Dominguez, who had reached base on a walk and stolen second.

The Mariners’ late-inning threat was neutralized by a pivotal defensive play from catcher Austin Wells. With runners on the corners and no outs, Ian Hamilton struck out Randy Arozarena, who lost his grip on the bat during his swing. As Julio Rodriguez tried to avoid the bat in foul territory, Wells fired a throw to Jazz Chisholm Jr., tagging Rodriguez for the second out.

This marked the second straight game in which the Mariners stumbled with a baserunning error at third base. Hamilton’s dominant ninth inning, capped by striking out Justin Turner, secured the Yankees’ win and earned him his first save of the season.

Yankees’ Offensive Struggles Hampered by Defensive Lapse

While Anthony Rizzo’s game-winning hit in the 10th inning secured the Yankees victory, the offense struggled throughout the game. The Yankees stranded six runners and struck out a season-high 15 times, hindered by inconsistent calls from home plate umpire Jim Wolf. The Mariners faced similar offensive woes, leaving 10 men on base and striking out 14 times.

A bright spot for the Yankees was Nestor Cortes, who delivered another stellar performance on the mound. Cortes skillfully escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, stranding all runners. His recent form has been impressive, posting a 1.58 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and holding opponents to a .547 OPS over his last seven outings.

On defense, Jasson Dominguez misjudged a long fly ball, allowing a double due to tricky lighting conditions. However, Cortes kept his composure, ensuring the Mariners couldn’t capitalize on the error, maintaining control throughout the game.

Holmes’ Blown Save Forces Extras

The Yankees bullpen found itself in trouble in the seventh inning when Tommy Kahnle issued a four-pitch walk to the leadoff hitter but managed to retire the next two batters. Clay Holmes was called upon to close out the inning, and despite walking one, he got Cal Raleigh to fly out, escaping further damage.

However, Holmes’ luck ran out in the eighth. After striking out Randy Arozarena, Holmes left an 86 mph slider hanging over the plate, which Justin Turner crushed 390 feet just inside the left-field foul pole to tie the game 1-1. It marked Holmes’ MLB-leading 13th blown save of the season.

Luke Weaver, meanwhile, continues to impress, striking out four batters in his 1.2 innings of work, quickly emerging as one of the Yankees’ most reliable relievers.

Offensively, Gleyber Torres went 0-for-5, ending his 17-game on-base streak. Anthony Volpe returned to the lineup but struggled, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and failing to lay down a bunt in the 10th inning. Juan Soto contributed by going 1-for-2 with two walks, while Aaron Judge struggled, finishing 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts.

The Yankees Roster

Up Next

The Yankees wrap up their three-game series against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon, with a 4:05 p.m. first pitch.

Clarke Schmidt (5-3, 2.41 ERA) will get the start for New York, facing Seattle’s Logan Gilbert (7-11, 3.24 ERA) in a key matchup as the series concludes.

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