Yanks: Bird Bashes Birds

Wild one in the Bronx today, but the Yanks pulled it out and won 8-6.  

Yanks scored a run in the bottom of the first.  Then Pineda lost his release point and gave up 4 in the second.  There are time this year when that would have been fatal.  But it wasn't today.   Pineda settled down and the Yanks started coming back.

Though the Yanks only drew one walk off of Chen, they got his pitch count up around 100 by the start of the 5th with the score 4-2.  Then the Yankee Magic showed up.   ARod homered.  4-3.  Bird worked a 2 out walk, and John Ryan Murphy went oppo to put the Yanks up 5-3.

Up 5-4 and with Pineda still under 100 pitches, Girardi had Wilson start the 7th.   Wilson, who I do not trust in one run games, gave up a homer, and thank goodness was allowed finish the 7th with the game tied.

In the 7th, Bird untied it with his 5th homer of the year, a 3 run shot off of a lefty.  Btw, 3 of Bird's 5 homers have come off lefties and he's hitting over .350 against them -- now remember that just last week Girardi wanted to play ARod at first against righties.   Yikes,

And speaking of yikes, Girardi's 8th and sometimes part of the 7th guy, Dellin Betances has been reduced to being a very tall Wetteland.  He walked the first two guys he faced, then K'd the next two, then walked the next to load the bases and K'd the final guy.  This took 30 or more pitches -- but no - Girardi hasn't over worked him because he says so.

Miller came in for the 9th and gave up a run before closing the O's down for keeps.  Entertaining and infuriating game.  Big win and Toronto lost, an may be heading for an adjustment.