The Bronx Bombers aren’t done yet.
Facing elimination, the New York Yankees turned to the inconsistent Masahiro Tanaka to try to keep their season alive. Tanaka would end up throwing a gem and the Yankees lived to see another day.
Pitching, pitching, and pitching
Tanaka and Cleveland Indians righty Carlos Carrasco pitched gems for both teams as we saw the first duel of the postseason. Tanaka gave the Yankees length, lasting 7 strong innings only allowing four baserunners and striking out seven. The Japanese righty was locating his fastball well and his splitter was on point, giving the Indians problems getting anything going offensively. Tanaka found himself in trouble in the fourth with a runner on third and only one out but struck out Jose Ramirez and Jay Bruce to get out of trouble and keep the game scoreless. He put to bed questions about if the team could rely on him this postseason.
Carrasco was just as good for the Indians and lasted 5.2 innings. He found himself in trouble in the sixth inning and would leave with the bases loaded in the sixth.
All Rise and Say Bye-Bye Birdie
Greg Bird did not have the season he and the Yankees had hoped for due to an ankle injury earlier in the year. Since returning from the DL in late August, Bird has produced for the Yankees and came up big in Game 3.
An inning after Aaron Judge robbed Francisco Lindor of a two-run home run, Bird came up to the plate against, arguably, the best left-handed reliever in baseball in Andrew Miller. Bird took a 96 mph fastball and put in the upper deck at Yankee Stadium to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. The home run was Bird’s second home run of the postseason and his second home run in his many games.
Closer Aroldis Chapman then got five outs for the save to lock down the 1-0 victory.
Looking Ahead
Luis Severino gets the ball in Game 4 tomorrow in the Bronx after a rough postseason debut in the AL Wild Card Game against the Twins. Severino will look to bounce back and keep give the Yankees another chance of saving their season. Cleveland will send Trevor Bauer to the hill, as he was near perfect in Game 1 of the series.
Game time is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET on Fox Sports 1.
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