Game 1: 10/1/21, 7:10 PM (Rays win 4-3)
Brutal game 1 loss as the Yanks fall to Tampa with the tying run on 2nd base in the 9th. Nestor Cortes finished off his season with a solid performance. He gave up 2 runs over 4.2 innings of work and finishes the season with a 2.90 ERA in just under 100 innings. I think he has solidified his rotation spot for next season as a 3 or 4 starter. After Tampa took a 1-0 lead in the 1st via Nelson Cruz solo homer, NY tied it up when Stanton drove in his 97th RBI with a 2-out single to tie the game. The Rays tacked on another run in the 2nd to take a 2-1 lead and it would remain that way until the top of the 9th. The big blow was a huge 2-out 2-run single for Wander Franco that gave them a 4-1 lead and some insurance heading to the bottom of the frame. Yanks showed some fight, Gallo and Gardner both had RBI singles to bring them within 1 at 4-3. Unfortunately, pinch hitter Gary Sanchez struck out on 3 pitches, he had an abysmal at bat, and Odor would also strikeout to end the game. Cortes took the tough loss and Head got the win. This was a really tough loss as the magic number remains at 2, and with Boston and Toronto both winning tonight, they continue to inch closer. Yanks can clinch tomorrow with Monty on the mound. I want October playoff baseball, make it happen!
Game 2: 10/2/21, 1:05 PM (Tampa wins 12-2)
Nothing to say here. Yanks get blown out at home with a clinching opportunity. They had about as bad of a day as you can get. Monty set the tone giving up a lot of runs (7) in a very short period of time (2.2 innings). Really awful outing for him and his worst of the year at such a great point of the season right? Embarrassing. Pretty simple, the last 2 seasons the Rays have owned the Yanks in every possible way. Certainly not the team we want to face if we can clinch and win the Wild Card. Monty got the loss and Patino got the win. Move on and win tomorrow. Win and you're in...
Game 3: 10/3/21, 3:05 PM (Yanks win 1-0)
WE’RE IN! Judge walks it off and sends the Yankees off to the post season. It was an absolute nail biter from the first pitch to the last. It was questionable to start Jameson Tallion but it paid off. He was able to throw up zeroes and get them 10 outs, 10 HUGE outs. The offense was poor but so was Tampa’s. NY had 4 hits the entire game. The pitching and defense (shockingly) carried them today. Gleyber made a stellar diving play to save 2 runs and Urshela made quite possibly the catch of the year diving into the Rays dugout to get the out, looked like a Derek Jeter kind of play. The bullpen literally could not have been better. Peralta, Holmes, Green, Loaisiga, and Chapman were all perfect and really got some TOUGH outs in super high leverage situations. Judge had the biggest hit of his career and the season to send the Yanks off to the postseason and play in the wild card. It wasn’t easy, but they got it done. Chapman got the win and Fleming took the loss.
My thoughts:
We made it difficult on ourselves but ultimately got the job done and clinched. Can’t stress enough how amazing the bullpen has been over the last week or 2. Some clutch hitting and insane pitching and defense has really carried us lately. This is what we wanted and this is what we got, a matchup with Boston.
What’s next?
Tampa heads back home to sit back and await the winner of the AL Wild Card game. The Yankees head to Boston, to take on their arch rival, the Boston Red Sox in a HIGHLY anticipated matchup in the Wild Card game on Tuesday. It’ll be former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi vs superstar ace Gerrit Cole. This is what we wanted… we got it. This could be a crazy game, I’m all for it. Excited and super confident. Survive and advance. LFG Yankees!
