GAME 24: Like they did so many times in the minors, battery-mates Dellin Betances and John Ryan Murphy lead their team to victory, but this one was special as it came in Yankee Stadium. More importantly, it came on the heels of the Yanks getting their heads handed to them the night before.
Murphy, starting in place of Brian McCann, drove in 3 of the Yankees 4 runs, knocking in 2 on a 2nd inning single, and a home run to left in the 5th, breaking a 3-3 tie.
Yankees starter Vidal Nuno couldn’t get out of the 5th, but Dellin Betances righted the ship with a display of power pitching, earning his first major league win.
Of Betances, Murphy said: “When he’s in the strike zone, “he’s unhittable. Fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s with a good breaking ball, so when you’re doing that, you’re going to have a lot of success.”
After Betances, Shawn Kelly and Matt Thornton followed with shut out contributions, and David Robertson recorded his third save of the season. The win improved the Yank’s home record to 7-4.
MEMORY LANE: April 26th is a busy day in Yankees history — on this day in 1994 the club signed catcher Bob Melvin as a free agent, and a decade earlier traded third baseman great Graig Nettles to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Dennis Rasmussen. Also on April 26th in 1946, the Yanks released outfielder Tuck Stainback. Honestly, I’ve never heard of him, but that’s great baseball name! (Source: Baseball Reference)
Here’s the box score, and recaps from New York and Disneyland.
