Game 155 / 86-69 / 2nd / -4 GB : On a crisp autumn afternoon in The Bronx, Luis Severino delivered 6 shutout innings, while the offense pounded out 8 runs despite going 3-19 with runners in scoring position. Severino’s outing wasn’t spotless, but he kept his cool and worked himself out of trouble when things looked dicey. This kid is the real deal, and the organization deserves credit for bringing him along just right. A signature moment in Yankee postseason lore beckons, and Severino has what it takes to answer the call.
Here’s the box score, full recap, and video highlights.
Yankees 6, White Sox 1
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- Funkin’ Hitters Greg Bird extended his mini-slump to 0-11 before smacking a grounds-rule double in the 7th, and singling in a run in the 8th… but the real number to worry about is the ‘total’ LOB, which was a mind-numbing 33 today. It’s going to be a short postseason if this keeps up.
- Making His Case Dustin Ackley clubbed an ultimate game-deciding solo home run in the 6th inning — his 9th of the season — and is seeing increased playing time over Stephen Drew as the regular season winds down. We’ll see what happens over the next seven games, but don’t be surprised to see his name in the starting lineup on play-in night. Drew has not been 100% physically — dealing with dizziness and balance issues as reported here by Chad Jennings at LoHud.
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“Outstanding again today. You look at his two starts since he had the tough one [in Toronto] and he’s been really, really good. He kept his pitch down for four innings. The last two, he had to work a little harder and that’s why I took him out, but I thought he threw a really good game.” ‐ Joe Girardi on Luis Severino (h/t: Grace Raynor and Scott Merkin / MLB.com)
Wild Card Watch
Here’s the current Wild Card Standings after the close of today’s action. While New York boasts a +4.5 game lead, any way you look at this nightmare, it’s time to get fitted for a straightjacket. If they can avoid blowing that lead, they’ll host either the Astros, Rangers, Angels, Twins, or even The Tribe. Pick your poison in the one-game, loser goes home contest.
Also, we’re not so sure about the over-hyped ‘home field advantage’ New York was supposed to benefit from in the second half of the season and what that means for a potential play-in game — the Bombers have played at a .560 clip (37-29) in The Stadium since the All-Star break. During that span versus Wild Card contenting teams (all in August), they took a 3-game series against the Twins, dropped 3 of 4 to Cleveland, then lost 2 of 3 to the Astros. Homefield, schmomefield.
I’ve Got A Bridge For Sale
For the club’s fading chances of a division crown, any combination of New York losses and Toronto victories totaling 4 (with 7 games left for each team) will secure a Blue Jays title. The Jays would have to go into a tailspin of historic proportion, dropping 6 of their last 7 — while the Yankees would have to go 5-2 (improbable but possible) to force a tie for the AL East pennant.
MEMORY LANE : On today’s date in 1998, the Yankees win their seventh straight game to end the season with a .704 winning percentage. The Bronx Bombers (114-48) become the first team since the 1954 Indians (111-43) to play over .700 ball for the entire season …
Today in 1989, the Yankees sent Mike Pagliarulo — who was selected by New York in sixth round of the 1981 amateur draft and made his MLB debut on July 7, 1985 going 3-5 with an RBI against the Minnesota Twins — and Don Schulze — who signed as a free agent on November 17, 1988, to the San Diego Padres for Walt Terrell and Freddie Toliver …
On September 27, 1938, an ailing Lou Gehrig hits his 493rd and final major league home run off Senators’ right-hander Dutch Leonard. On the same date 15 years earlier, the Yankee first baseman had gone deep off Bill Piercy at Fenway Park for his first career home run …
Who Knew? Today in 1932, the Detroit Tigers drafted Bots Nekola from the New York Yankees in that year’s Rule 5 Draft. It was news to us the Rule 5 Draft was around in 1932, let alone the Yankees had a player with a great name like that …
(h/t: NationalPastime.com, Baseball-Reference.com, Today in Baseball History)
