Yankees Defeat Reds 4-2; Joe Morgan Screams in Agony

Yeah. No. Peace. (Courtesy Getty)

The Yankees rolled to yet another victory today, winning the first game of the day night doubleheader 4-2. Freddy Garcia, him of a 34% GB rate survived the most homer happy park in the national league, going 7 innings, walking 1 striking out 4 and allowing 0 earned runs on just 89 pitches. Despite a lineup that could make a grown man cry, just 3 position players contributing positive WPA and Ramiro Pena’s defensive miscues, it was another win on this very positive road trip so far.

The Yankees got on the board first in the 3^rd inning. After back to back singles by Gardner and Granderson, the Yankees had 1^st and 3^rd with only 1 out. Swisher then grounded one to 1B where Joey Votto fielded, stepped on first for the second out and then decided to try and get Gardner at home for the third. It didn’t quite work out as his throw was high and the Yankees took a 1-0 lead. Then with Granderson on 2^nd, a single by Cano drove him in to make it 2-0.

In the 5^th, the Reds struck back mainly because Ramiro Pena, aka the laughing stock, botched some fielding plays. After allowing Stubbs to reach on an error to open the inning, Renteria singled to left to set up the Reds with 1^st and 3^rd and nobody out. The very next batter chops an easy ball to Pena at third who decides to come home with it. Stubbs is fast, but a good throw from Pena and he’s out by a mile. Instead, Pena throws a lawn dart to the criminally inept and future woodchip victim Frankie Cervelli who bobbles the ball anyhow for good measure. Mike Leake came to bat next, sacrificed Renteria over to 3^rd who then a batter later was driven in by a Fred Lewis sac fly to tie the score at 2-2. For the record, Cervelli was 0-3 with 2 strikeouts and led all Yankee players in negative WPA. His worthlessness continues to astonish even the most rational minds.

The Yankees responded well in the 6^th though. Cano hit a one out single and then Jorge Posada, the man once so useless Girardi dared to hit him 9th, hit his first homerun since April to push the Yankees back ahead, 4-2. Professional sweater Freddy Garcia went 7 innings before Joey G turned it over to Robertson in the 8^th. This was probably a questionable call as Garcia had stifled the Reds all afternoon and was only at 89 pitches. Additionally, Girardi stated he would avoid using relievers in both games today so not squeegeeing Garcia for all he had raised some eyebrows. On the other hand, always taking the win today instead of the hypothetical win tomorrow (or later tonight rather) is a good strategy and it certainly panned out. Robertson shut down the Reds in the 8^th and Mariano came on to do the same in the 9^th.

A tidy win indeed. Despite the radical move by Girardi to actually have 4 pitchers bat in the lineup in the 6-9 spots, the Yankees prevailed. So far in these two games the Reds have looked pretty flat. If you were judging from these two games alone, as I’m certain many fine New York writers will do, they certainly don’t look like favorites to take the division. At 7, the Yankees will toss actual human being Brian Gordon against Johnny Cueto in game two. Without Rivera or Robertson available, it should be a great adventure. In news emerging after the game, Jeff Marquez is headed to the DL with a sore shoulder and Buddy Carlyle (yes, really!) is here to take his place. I personally hope to see Gordon go 6, hand it off to Boone Logan for the 7^th, Carlyle for the 8^th and Luis Ayala for the 9^th. Wouldn’t that be great? We could call them the “DFA Dandies”. Maybe Cervelli could throw some pitches too.

Stay tuned for the 7pm open thread and enjoy the game.

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