YANKEES

Desperate for a spark, Yankees get big hits from Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez to rally past Twins

Pete Caldera
MLB Writer

NEW YORK – Over seven sleepy innings, the Yankees looked the part of a last-place team forced to fly 3½ hours for a one-game September makeup.

As for the Minnesota Twins?

They jumped out to an early five-run lead, adding to the stale air of desperation engulfing the Yanks.

But the Yankees chipped back with two runs, drawing close enough for one swing to bring them all the way back.

Aaron Judge’s three-run homer did just that, tying matters in the eighth.

And with the free runner on base in the 10th, Gary Sanchez’s one-out single scored Gleyber Torres to deliver a 6-5 victory before a sparse crowd at Yankee Stadium.

By winning the makeup of an Aug. 22 rainout against the AL Central doormat Twins (63-81), the Yanks (80-64) pulled within a half-game of an AL wild card spot – both currently held by Toronto and Boston. 

Now, the Yanks have three series - another nine straight games - against sub .500 clubs beginning Tuesday night at Baltimore (46-97).

Of course, the Yanks are just 9-7 against the Orioles this year, whereas the Rays (18-1), Blue Jays (11-5) and Red Sox (9-4) have largely taken care of business. 

Judge's turnaround 

Judge said he was "feeling better'' Monday but "not 100 percent,'' having exited Sunday night's game due to dizziness.

"Kind of came out of nowhere,'' Judge said of the lightheaded feeling during his two at-bats, both strikeouts, in the Yanks' wild, late and contentious 7-6 loss to the Mets at Citi Field.

"I've gotten my bell run a couple times in football. That's kind of what it felt like,'' said Judge, adding that his hydration level and "all the vitals'' checked out OK.

"I kept hoping it would pass,'' Judge said of pleading his case to stay in Sunday's game. "We really don't know what it is.''

Judge's condition improved to the point Monday morning where manager Aaron Boone was comfortable inserting the slugger into the lineup as the right fielder. 

And after Brett Gardner walked on a close, full-count pitch with two out in the eighth, Judge drove his 33rd homer of the year out to right-center field. 

It was the 11th homer in Judge's last 25 that either tied the game or gave the Yanks a lead.

Falling behind, drawing even

Making his fifth career MLB start, Yankees’ right-hander Luis Gil had yielded just three runs over his first 19 innings.

But the Twins tagged him with four runs in Monday’s first inning, on a pair of two-run shots by Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano.

Byron Buxton’s solo blast in the third made it 5-0, but Gil completed six innings and finished with eight strikeouts.

New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Minnesota Twins' Miguel Sano during the first inning of a baseball game on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Twins’ starter John Gant exited after just three batters, due to a lower abdominal strain.

And that started a chain of Minnesota relievers who held the Yanks to two hits through six innings.

DJ LeMahieu’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly and Joey Gallo’s seventh inning solo homer cut the lead to 5-2, and a pair of walks set up Judge’s moment in the eighth.

Subbed into the game in the ninth inning, Sanchez’s single was off Ralph Garza Jr., the Twins’ sixth reliever Monday.

Cole is ready to go

By hopping over the Citi Field dugout railing and into Sunday night’s on-field mixer with the Mets, Gerrit Cole also showed that his hamstring is sound for Tuesday’s start.

“I feel good about it,’’ Cole said Monday of taking the ball at Baltimore, exactly one week after an early exit against Toronto at Yankee Stadium, due to a tight left hamstring.

Late Sunday night, Cole was among the first Yankees to bounce onto the field in defense of Giancarlo Stanton, whose verbal exchange with Mets’ shortstop Francisco Lindor – during Stanton’s home run trot – led to both benches and bullpens briefly clearing.

“Giancarlo had a few words to say to Lindor after Lindor had a few words to say’’ during the second of his three home run trots, Cole said.

The premise of Lindor’s complaint was the Mets’ belief, according to ESPN’s Marly Rivera, that the Yankees were whistling to notify their batters of pitches being tipped Saturday by the Mets’ Taijuan Walker.

The Yankees claim it was just reliever Wandy Peralta, who was loudly whistling to stir up the team during a losing streak that had reached seven games.

Regardless, it was an “intense moment,’’ said Cole, who “just wanted to make sure (Stanton) gets back home’’ from rounding the bases.

“Guy’s on an island out there,’’ Cole said. “Just want to make sure he’s all right.’’

Pitching updates

Rehabbing from shoulder issues, right-handers Domingo German and Luis Severino could become Yankees bullpen options by next week.

German is due to pitch in a minor league game Tuesday, while Severino could graduate next to a game or a live batting practice setting.

Both pitchers were at Yankee Stadium on Monday morning, participating in light fielding drills.

Jameson Taillon (right ankle tendon tear) is also with the club, but the right-hander is not yet scheduled to resume throwing off a mound.

Though he’s feeling improved, according to Boone, Taillon has a shrinking timetable for returning to the Yanks’ rotation before the regular season runs out.

Pete Caldera is the Yankees beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Yankees analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.

Email: caldera@northjersey.com Twitter: @pcaldera