Sanchez helps keep Yankees close to O’s
NEW YORK — More than halfway out the exit door for the final time, Alex Rodriguez professed his love for the New York Yankees by saying he would watch as many games on television and would root them on in their bid to make the playoffs.
“Crazier things have happened,” said A-Rod.
He might be on to something. The team that refuses to quit put a 14-4, 18-hit hurt on the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night as the Yankees went five games (66-61) over .500 for the first time this season. They also moved to within 3 ½ games of Baltimore, the current owner of the second American League wild-card berth.
This was a highlight film for the 38,423 Yankee Stadium fans. Phenom Gary Sanchez was at it again, with three hits, four runs batted in and his 10th home run in 20 games.
But he had plenty of help. Mark Teixeira and Chase Headley also homered and the top four hitters in the lineup — Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Sanchez and Teixeira — were a combined 9-for-17, with two homers and 11 RBIs.
Lost in all the offence was another solid start by Luis Cessa. A week after pitching six scoreless innings against Anaheim in his first majorleague start, Cessa, a former infielder in the New York Mets organization, allowed three runs and five hits. What he couldn’t do was contain Orioles star Manny Machado, who homered twice.
Yankee manager Joe Girardi, usually a worry wart, let rookie Ben Heller make his major league debut in the eighth inning and he responded with a hitless inning.
Girardi is in a good mood lately. His team has won 10 of 15 games and those white flags that everybody else has waving since all the trade deadline deals are nowhere to be seen.
Sure, there are four other teams besides the Orioles in wild-card contention, but Girardi’s team still has live long after others had declared their playoff chances dead.
“I think our guys believe,” said Girardi. “The opportunity is there.”
The Yankees’ six-run second inning was a nightmare for the Orioles, who had taken a very temporary 1-0 lead on Machado’s 30th homer, into Monument Park, in the top of the first inning.
The lead didn’t last long. After Sanchez singled with two outs in the bottom of the first, Teixeira showed the young sensation that he still has something left by hammering a two-run homer, his 11th, into the right-centre-field stands.
But that was nothing compared to what happened in the second inning, when the Yankees extended their lead to 8-1. Nothing went right for the Orioles: they couldn’t pitch and they couldn’t field.
The Yankees mistreated Orioles starter Yovani Gallardo, who’s disastrous pitching line included eight runs and six hits — all while registering only four outs.