The Yanks did not make it easy, but they came away with their 50th win of the season last night against the Rays. So many twists and turns, ups and downs, and everything else was incorporated into this game, but a win is a win and the Yanks did just that.
Last night it felt like the Yanks were playing in Yankee Stadium South as I would say at least 75 percent of the fans in attendance were rooting for the Yanks. I don't know if it was because all of the Rays fans were at the Stanley Cup watching the Lightning or just Yanks fans travel well like always.
Back to the game, the McClanahan vs Cole matchup was just as advertised as both of these aces pitched like Cy Young candidates. McClanahan again gave up an early mistake when Anthony Rizzo belted a homer in the 1st, but was dominant after that. Gerrit Cole took a no-hitter into the 8th inning and then lost it to Issac Paredes, but only gave up 1 run as well. This is the second time this year that Cole has had a no-hit bid through 6 or more innings.
But, the most dramatic part of the game did not involve any starters, for it involved the most unlikely suspect of them all, Clay Holmes. The Yanks brought in Clay Holmes to clean up the small mess that Gerrit Cole left, but for the first time since Opening Day, Holmes allowed 2 runs. Only one of the runs was earned, but it left me in such shock that he actually gave up a run, I forgot he could give up a run with how dominant he has been all season long. The Rays ended up tying up the game at 2 as we headed to the top of the ninth where things got even crazier.
Rays reliever Jason Adam, who has registered an under 1 ERA similar to Holmes, took the mound to try and get 3 outs and give the Rays a chance to win it in the bottom of the frame. Adam gave up a leadoff single to Donaldson and then a couple batters later, Aaron Hicks came through yet again as he belted an RBI triple to left. It was such an intense moment because Rays outfielder Manuel Margot got hurt while trying to make the play and he had to be stretchered off, and then when Aaron Hicks reached third he was the most fired up I've ever seen him. Also, Yankee Stadium South was rocking as Yankee fans were making a ton of noise overpowering the minuscule amount of Rays fans in the building.
Hicks has been the difference maker in the last 2 of 3 games the Yanks have played, so that is a great sign for him. In a game where both offenses were struggling severely, Hicks came through once again and was the difference maker yet again for this Yankee team.
Onto the bottom of the 9th we went and of course, the Rays had to make things interesting till the final out. The Rays got 2 on with 2 out and a shallow fly ball was hit to center and 3 yankee defenders were in reach of the ball and I was thinking, oh no this is definitely going to drop, and for a second I thought it did, but guess what. Aaron Hicks was there to make the play and win the ballgame!
The player of the game for the Yanks was of course Aaron Hicks as he drove in the game-winning run and made the game-winning catch to fend off the Rays. Nestor Cortes takes the mound in game 2 of this series as he will face the Rays for the 3rd time this year. The Yanks now sit at 50-17 and are the first team to reach 50 wins on the campaign this season.
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