GAME 88: The kid is alright! Yesterday’s call-up Shane Greene turned some heads tonight, throwing a perfecto through 4.2 innings, and earning his first major league win. The Yankees jumped on Cleveland starter Justin Masterson early for 5 earned runs, and Greene and the Yankees bullpen made it stand.
Greene Roster Move Pays Off
As Greene breezed through the Indians lineup on a economy of pitches, old pal Nick Swisher busted up the no-no with a homer to left-center on a 3-1 pitch with 2 outs in the 5th. His line ended up at 6 innings, 2 ER, 4 hits, 0 walks and 2 strikeouts. A much better outing this time for Greene than his MLB debut in Boston on April 24th, where he couldn’t find the plate. Walked three of the four batters he faced, and all three came around to score. That was then. This is now.
David Huff and 2014 All-Star Dellin Betances took care of business over the remaining three innings. Huff has been exceptional since re-signing with the club, and Betances added his first major league save to what is quickly becoming a memorable year for the young New Yorker.
Road Warriors
After taking 3 of 4 in Minnesota over the long weekend, the Bombers are off to a good start in their four game set in Cleveland. With New York going 4-13 with runners in scoring position, it had that feel where 5 runs wouldn’t be enough, but the pitching got it done. The Yanks banged 12 hits tonight, with Brett Gardner, Brian McCann, and Ichiro Suzuki leading the way with three hits apiece. Brian Roberts went 2-4 with an RBI double off Masterson.
Here’s the box score and Bryan Hoch’s recap at mlb.com.
MEMORY LANE: On July 7th, 1937, Yankees great Lou Gehrig leads the A.L. All-Stars over the NL 8-3 with a home run, double, and four RBI. President Franklin D. Roosevelt attends the game in Washington … On July 7th, 1985, Dave Winfield hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning off Curt Wardle to defeat the Minnesota Twins, 3-2. Starter Ed Whitson went 6 innings, scattering 8 hits and allowing 2 earned runs. Relievers Brian Fisher and Dave Righetti kept Minnesota scoreless over the next 5 innings, with Rags (6-6) getting the win. Wille Randolph went 3-4, and knocked in Don Baylor from second with a 5th inning single that knotted the score at 2-2. … Happy 46th Birthday to Chuck Knoblauch!
