YANKEES CLOSE IN ON AL EAST

The Yankees have closed in on the AL East standings with only 2.5 games separating them from the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Yankees won 2 out of 3 against the Minnesota Twins and 3 out 4 against the Baltimore Orioles. Here’s a recap:

In Game 1 against the Twins, Carlos Rodon pitched a solid 6 innings and only allowed 2 runs but Simeon Woods Richardson allowed only 2 hits and struck out 11 in six innings. Luke Weaver allowed 5 runs in a third of an inning and the Twins won 7-0.

In Game 2 against the Twins Cam Schlittler allowed 4 runs with 6 strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Zebby Matthews allowed 9 runs in three innings. The Yankees had a decent lead until Ryan Yarbrough gave up 4 runs in the sixth inning. Trent Grisham hit a 3 run home run and the Twins had 4 stolen bases. David Bednar gave up a run in the ninth inning but got the save as the Yankees won 10-9.

In Game 3 Luis Gil allowed 5 runs, 4 earned, in 4 2/3 innings and Taj Bradley allowed 7 runs in 4 innings. Aaron Judge went 3-4 while Trent Grisham hit 2 home runs and Cody Bellinger hit a solo home run. The Yankees won 10-5.

Max Fried had a stellar outing in game 1 against the Orioles, pitching 7 innings and only allowing 3 hits with 13 strikeouts. Paul Blackburn relieved him and pitched 2 shutout no hit innings. Cade Povich allowed 3 runs in 5 innings with 5 strikeouts. Amed Rosario hit a 2 run double in the first inning giving the Yankees an early lead. They won the game 7-0.

In game 2 against the Orioles, Will Warren allowed 3 runs, only 1 earned and struck out 4 in 5 1/3 innings. Trevor Rogers had a not hitter going until the sixth inning. He allowed 1 hit and struck out 7 in six innings. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a 2 run home run and joined the 30-30 club for the first time in his career. Yankees lost 2-4.

In game 3 Carlos Rodon had a stellar outing to earn his 17th win. He allowed 1 run in 4 hits with 8 strikeouts in seven innings. Tomoyuki Sugano allowed 4 runs in three innings. Aaron Judge hit his 49th home run and Giancarlo Stanton hit a 3 run home run, his 450th career home run. Yankee won 6-1.

Game 4 went 10 innings with Cam Schlittler allowing 1 run on 3 hits with 5 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. The Yankees bullpen who has been struggling lately brought out 6 pitchers to finish the game and held the Orioles to 1 hit. Kyle Bradish allowed 1 run on 2 hits with 9 strikeouts in six innings. The Orioles scored first with a home run by Samuel Basallo in the fifth inning. Ben Rice tied the game in the sixth with a RBI single. Rice hit a grand slam in the tenth inning to break the tie followed by a home run by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and a RBI single by Anthony Volpe. The Yankees won 7-1.

The Yankees end the regular season with a series against the Chicago White Sox and a series against the Baltimore Orioles. Let’s go Yankees!