Shaky bullpen work may give Bombers pause
HOUSTON — The Yankees didn’t just squander a chance to get to the World Series when they lost to the Astros 7-1 in Game 6 of the ALCS.
They also lost Chad Green for Saturday’s Game 7, since he tossed 2 ¹/3 scoreless innings in the defeat.
And a rough outing from David Robertson may have given the struggling Houston offense a lift with a four-run eighth inning that put the game away at Minute Maid Park.
It started when Jose Altuve led off with a homer off Robertson.
“I threw it where I wanted,” Robertson said. “And he hit it out of the park.”
Things only got worse for Robertson, who allowed all four runs without retiring a batter.
A double by Carlos Correa followed, then Yuli Gurriel singled, before Alex Bregman doubled and advanced to third when Didi Gregorius’ relay throw got away from Gary Sanchez at the plate.
“Every good pitch I made, they hit,” Robertson said.
What had been a tight game the Yankees could have chalked up to another tough performance by Justin Verlander turned into a rout that gave Houston’s lineup a reason to be confident.
Dellin Betances retired his first batter since he pitched two-plus innings in Game 2 of the ALDS in Cleveland, but he remains a long way from being relied upon in an important spot.
After the defeat, Joe Girardi said everyone in the bullpen would be available other than Green in relief of CC Sabathia.
Since Sabathia is likely to go just four or five innings, that leaves Tommy Kahnle and Aroldis Chapman as the only two rested and trustworthy arms Girardi can go to in the most important game of the season.
“When we were in New York, they pitched about as good as you can pitch,” Brian McCann said of the Yankees’ staff during their three straight wins in The Bronx. “Now I feel like we have the momentum.”