Again in playoffs, Yanks attempt to dim M’s postseason hopes

The Mariners can solely hope the New York Yankees are nursing a hangover on Thursday afternoon as Seattle appears to be like to keep away from a three-game residence sweep.

The Yankees (89-63) clinched an American League playoff berth on Wednesday evening with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings. Anthony Rizzo drove in each New York runs, the second on a double down the correct subject line to attain computerized runner Jasson Dominguez.

New York is again within the postseason after lacking out final yr.

“Lots of issues have come collectively,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated. “In all probability higher well being general. Positively an added focus for guys that have been coming off robust years and easily put, we’re higher. We weren’t an important workforce final yr, and this workforce has an opportunity to do one thing particular.”

Yankees slugger Aaron Decide, who leads the majors in residence runs (53) and RBIs (136), agreed.

“(It will) positively be thrilling, particularly after the season we had final yr lacking out on the postseason,” stated Decide, who ranks second to Kansas Metropolis’s Bobby Witt Jr. with a .321 batting common. “That is what we got here into the season to do, get into the postseason and provides ourselves a chance to go on the market and win a World Sequence.”

The Yankees clinched at the least a wild-card berth, however they’ve their sights set on the AL East title. They’ve a five-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles with 10 video games remaining.

“Our purpose is to win the division. That is what we need to do,” Yankees proper fielder Juan Soto stated. “We’ll deal with that and attempt to end the season robust.”

The Mariners (77-75), who’re 5 video games behind the first-place Houston Astros within the AL West and three video games again of the ultimate wild-card spot, had an opportunity to tie the Wednesday recreation within the backside of the tenth earlier than falling sufferer to what supervisor Dan Wilson referred to as a “freak situation.”

Cal Raleigh led off with a single to left, sending computerized runner Julio Rodriguez to 3rd.

Randy Arozarena misplaced his grip on the bat when he swung and missed at strike three, with the bat pinwheeling down the third bottom line straight at Rodriguez, who ducked out of the way in which into foul territory. Yankees catcher Austin Wells alertly threw the ball to 3rd baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who utilized the tag to Rodriguez simply earlier than he may dive again to the bag.

“It was an important ballgame on all counts and a troublesome one to lose,” Wilson stated.

Rodriguez sat at his locker after the sport, watching the replay time and again on his telephone.

“I simply noticed a bat flying towards my face and I ran away from it. I did not get again to the bag in time,” Rodriguez stated. “At that second, I wasn’t actually fascinated by the sport, I used to be simply attempting to get out of the way in which of the bat coming at me. That is how it’s. Only a bizarre scenario.”

Within the collection finale, Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (5-3, 2.41 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Mariners righty Logan Gilbert (7-11, 3.24).

This can be Schmidt’s third begin since lacking greater than three months with a proper lat pressure. In outings in opposition to the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Pink Sox, he allowed a complete of two runs in 10 1/3 innings.

Schmidt misplaced to the Mariners 6-3 on Could 21 at Yankee Stadium regardless of giving up simply two runs on 4 hits over 5 innings. He’s 0-1 with a 1.69 ERA in two profession begins in opposition to Seattle.

Gilbert, who has misplaced his previous three choices, received a no-decision in a 5-4 Mariners victory at New York on Could 20, when he allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings. Gilbert is 1-2 with a 7.18 ERA in 5 profession begins in opposition to the Yankees.

–Discipline Degree Media