Urshela hits Yanks to fourth straight win over Halos in 14
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Gio Urshela singled home Gleyber Torres in the 14th with his second extra-inning RBI of the night, and the New York Yankees blew a 12th-inning lead before rallying for their fourth consecutive win, 4-3 over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.
Torres reached base on catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s throwing error after striking out leading off the 14th, and he advanced on a wild pitch by Luke Bard (0-1) and stole third before he was driven home by Urshela. The journeyman infielder produced his first multiRBI game since last May.
Jonathan Holder (1-0) pitched the final two innings for the injury-plagued Yankees, who have still won six of seven.
After Zack Cozart injured his face diving back to second base in the 12th, the Angels were forced to make a series of substitutions that ended with outfielder Peter Bourjos playing second base — and playing it well — for the first time in his pro career.
The changes also resulted in starting pitcher Trevor Cahill striking out to end the game because the Angels lost their designated hitter spot in the lineup.
Brian Goodwin delivered a tying RBI single with two outs in the 12th for the Angels, who have lost seven of eight.
After seven consecutive hitless innings for the Yankees, Clint Frazier doubled and scored on Urshela’s flyout in the 12th.
The Angels had managed just three singles over their previous nine scoreless innings, but they extended it against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. Kevan Smith delivered a leadoff single and pinch-runner Bourjos stole second before Goodwin drove him home with a two-out single to center.
And then the night got weird: Cozart hurt his face on the bag at second after Goodwin’s single.
Cozart had to leave, but the Angels were out of position players. So after pitcher Felix Pena ran for Cozart, Tommy La Stella moved from second to third to replace Cozart for the 13th, while Bourjos played second base for the first time in his 1,347-game professional career in the majors and minors.
Bourjos then promptly made a diving stop on Brett Gardner’s grounder and threw him out at first.
Before the late-night madness, two winless starting pitchers had strong outings in the series opener at the Big A.
J.A. Happ pitched seven innings of three-hit ball for the Yankees, retiring 12 of the Angels’ final 13 batters.
Matt Harvey pitched six innings of three-hit ball in a bounce-back effort for the Angels. The longtime Mets righthander had a 1.25 ERA in three previous Subway Series starts against the Yankees, and he retired 11 of his final 12 hitters at the Big A.
Luke Voit reached base in his career-best 33rd consecutive game and extended his hitting streak to nine games with his solo homer in the first inning.
Jonathan Lucroy’s secondinning shot was his first homer with the Angels.