The Yankees completed a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, winning Sunday’s matinee by a score of 4-1.
Here are some key takeaways…
– Luis Severino made his 2023 debut after being reinstated off the IL from a lat strain. He walked the first batter he faced on four pitches, but overall it was a very impressive first start back for the right-hander.
Severino allowed one fluky earned run (more on that below), but he looked strong in his 4.2 innings, allowing just four hits while striking out five and walking one. He threw 75 pitches (54 strikes), which was right on target for his limit, and hit 99 mph on his fastball.
– Aaron Boone’s morning came to an end before the clock struck noon, but his argument was sound. With two outs and a runner on first in the first inning, Spencer Steer flared one down the right field line. Jake Bauers made a sliding attempt but couldn’t come up with it. Originally called a foul ball, but the Reds challenged and it was correctly overturned to a fair ball. Steer was awarded a double, but base-runner Jonathan India was awarded home, which didn’t really make sense considering he slowed up heading into third and then jogged home after the ball was called foul. Boone was clearly outraged, and he was quickly tossed.
But Reds manager David Bell also ended up getting tossed in the bottom of the eighth, appearing to claim that Wandy Peralta had thrown a quick-pitch. A very animated Bell was ejected, but not before getting his money’s worth.
– Hunter Greene, the Reds’ 23-year-old flamethrower, made easy work of the Yankees’ lineup early on. Through his first four innings, Greene allowed just one base-runner, a Willie Calhoun single that was quickly erased on a double-play ball by Harrison Bader in the second.
But Bader got his revenge in the fifth, staying back on a Greene changeup and slamming it over the wall in left for his fourth home run of the season. The two-run shot put the Yankees up 2-1.
– In the top of the sixth, Gleyber Torres got in on the home run action. Torres saw a Greene fastball on the outer part of the plate and went with it, driving a solo shot over the wall in right to extend the Yankees’ lead to 3-1.
– The Yankees used some small ball to add an insurance run in the seventh. The recently acquired Greg Allen came on as a pinch-runner, stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch before coming around to score on an Anthony Volpe double down the third base line.
Allen tripled later in the game, making an immediate impact with his speed.
– Clay Holmes pitched his way into trouble in the ninth, giving up a couple of singles and a walk to put the tying run on base but he ultimately shut the door for his fifth save of the season.
Highlights
What’s next?
The Yankees have a day off on Monday before starting a six-game homestand on Tuesday night, with the Baltimore Orioles coming to town first for a three-game series.
First pitch on Tuesday night is set for 7:05 p.m., with Gerrit Cole set to go for the Yankees. The O’s have not announce their pitching plans.