Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Touch of Gray keeps Yankees in the black
Strong pitching, timely offense key win
NEW YORK — Sonny Gray has learned to just say yes when he sees Austin Romine behind the plate.
Gray made his second straight strong start and won for the first time in a month, boosting the New York Yankees over the Cleveland Indians 5-2 Saturday for their 14th win in 15 games.
“I trust that guy completely, knowing whatever he puts down, shake your head yes and throw it with conviction,” Gray said.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s double error led to two runs in a four-run fifth inning off previously unhittable Trevor Bauer.
New York is in its first 14-1 stretch since 1998 Yankees won 114 games during the regular season and then the first of three straight World Series titles. The Yankees have outscored opponents 91-33 in that span and have won eight straight home games for the first time since 2010.
Gray (2-2) allowed two runs and four hits over six innings with seven strikeouts, working with more poise and polish to Romine, the Yankees’ backup catcher, than he has with AllStar starter Gary Sanchez.
Gray has a 3.72 ERA in five starts with Romine this year; his ERA is 15.63 ERA in two games with Sanchez.
“It’s the biggest compliment when a guy rolls with you, doesn’t shake much and really likes you when you catch back there,” Romine said.
While Romine doesn’t have Sanchez’s power at the plate, he’s hitting .286. His bases-loaded walk tied the score in the fifth, and he doubled off the center-field wall in the seventh.
Chad Green struck out four over two perfect innings, and David Robertson finished the five-hitter for his first save.
Making his first start since sparking a Twitter spat by suggesting Houston pitchers might be use pine tar, Bauer (2-3) retired his first 13 batters in order on 45 pitches but then needed 41 pitches to get the final two outs of the fifth.
He lasted six innings and gave up two hits, and just two of the four runs off him were earned.
Lindor put the Indians ahead in the fifth with his fourth homer in five games.
Neil Walker and Miguel Andujar walked with one out in the fifth for the Yankees’ first two runners, and rookie Gleyber Torres lined a soft single to center for the Yankees’ first hit — and lone hit of the inning.
Romine fell behind 1-and-2 in the count, worked it full, fouled off two pitches and then took inside fastball to force home the tying run.
Ronald Torreyes hit a two-hopper for what appeared to be an easy inning-ending, double-play grounder to Lindor, a Gold Glove winner in 2016.
Lindor allowed the ball to bounce out of the pocket of his glove, picked it up and threw past third baseman Jose Ramirez to the screen in front of Cleveland’s dugout as Andujar and Torres scored.
Bees sting Oswalt, send 51s to defeat
Salt Lake ambushed Corey Oswalt for six runs in the third inning on its way to an 11-5 victory Saturday night at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
Oswalt had his shortest outing of the season, knocked out of the game after 2 2/3 innings and seven runs.
After the two teams traded runs in the second, Oswalt allowed singles to three of the first four batters in the third.
He then walked three straight and uncorked two wild pitches before Rymer Liraino’s three-run homer completed the Bees’ scoring.
The six runs that Oswalt gave up in the third matched the six runs he allowed in his first three starts combined.
Las Vegas (11-19) scored twice in the fifth when Dominic Smith doubled to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.
Up next
■ Who: 51s at Salt Lake Bees
■ When: 5:35 p.m. Sunday
■ Where: Smith’s Ballpark, Salt Lake City
■ Starters: P.J. Conlon (12, 6.75 ERA), 51s, vs. John Lamb (1-0, 3.97 ERA)
Next five
■ Monday: Las Vegas at Salt Lake, 5:35 p.m.
■ Tuesday: Fresno at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
■ Wednesday: Fresno at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
■ Thursday: Fresno at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
■ Friday: Fresno at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Update
The Mets officially designated starter Matt Harvey for assignment, a move announced Friday after Harvey posted a 7.00 ERA through 27 innings. They called up right-handed reliever Hansel Robles to take his spot on the roster. Robles posted a 3.60 ERA in five appearances with the 51s.