Yankees Beat Twins 5-2 Amid Mounting Injury Concerns

The Yankees beat the Twins 5-2. They usually beat the Twins like a rented mule. Since 2002, the Bombers are 127 – 46 against the Twins. That is the best record by any team against any opponent. The team needed a win, as they had lost seven games in a row, and this was a game started by would-be ace Garrit Cole. Cole has had back-to-back rough starts, though he said before this game that he had figured out what he was doing wrong.

The Yankees got bad news before the game. Carlos Rodon was supposed to start the Saturday game for the team, and the Pinstripes had to place him on the injured list on Saturday. This injury occurred just as centerfielder Trent Grisham and third baseman Ryan McMahon returned to the lineup. Do you think the bad news will ever stop coming for the Yanks?

Yankees and Twins Game Summary July 3

The Yankees seem to be stuck in a cycle of bad news. Even when there is good news, like the return of Grisham and McMahon to the lineup, there is bad news. On Wednesday, it was food poisoning; today, it was putting starting pitcher Carlos Rodon on the Injured List. The Bronx Bombers needed a good start from Garrit Cole in tonight’s game. Here is how the game played out.

In the first inning, the teams traded solo home runs. Kody Clemens hit a solo home run, giving the Minnesota Twins a 1-0 lead. Trent Grisham, just off the injured list, answered for the Yankees with a solo home run of his own in the bottom half of the inning. That tied the game at 1.

In the third inning, Ben Rice hit a two-run home run. Trent Grisham scored as well, and the Yankees took a 3-1 lead. However, in the fourth inning, the Twins got a run back on a Victor Caretini single, and Kody Clemens scored. That cut the Yankee lead to 3-2.

In the seventh inning, Jose Caballero singled, and Ryan McMahon scored. It was 4-2 Yankees. At this point, they had 6 hits, and the game felt like a blowout. Then Grisham hit a sacrifice fly, and Jose Caballero scored. The score was now 5-2, and the romp, or what qualifies for one nowadays, was on. That was the final score of the game.

Roster Moves

With the rash of injuries, there is no question that the Yankees would have to make roster moves. The team added Grisham and McMahon to their roster before the game. To make room on the roster, they placed Carlos Rodon on the Injured List. Oswaldo Cabrara was also sent to AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre. It is virtually guaranteed that there will be more roster moves to come.

Here’s hoping the line-up additions will help the Yankees hit better. They have been historically bad recently. When Grisham was playing last, he was red hot. The team is just 7-11 in the games without Grisham and has just a.630 On Base Plus Slugging average since he has been out.

Weather

It is extremely hot in the northeastern United States. High temperatures have been over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. With that heat comes the threat of severe thunderstorms. This game was played under the threat of a complex of thunderstorms heading south toward the New York City area. If the storms hold together and follow their current path, there will be a rain delay. Sure enough, the game was delayed by rain in the third inning. The weather has a big effect on baseball games.

There was a rain delay in this game, but the Yankees eventually pulled it out with a 5-2 win. That win halted their seven-game losing streak. Trent Grisham was the player of the game. He hit a home run in his first at-bat after coming off the injured list. He had a single in his second at-bat. The Yankees and Twins play the second game of this series tomorrow at 1:35. Carlos Rodon was supposed to start this game, and now it is likely that Brendon Beck will start the game, or at least be the bulk guy after an opener starts the game.

Who Will Come Out On Top?

There is no question that the Yankees are reeling right now. They came into this game having lost seven games in a row. Moreover, very important players are getting injured every day. The team’s historical dominance over the Twins gave them some confidence in this series, but with the Tampa Bay Rays seeming to win every day, the Bombers need to start winning to avoid falling further behind in the division.