May 5, 2021
1. Yankees fans were magnificent last night — kudos, all of you
For the first time since the 2019 ALCS, the Astros came to Yankee Stadium. And if you missed it, here’s a little taste of how it went:
A 20% capacity crowd, and everyone watching on TV thought the same thing — electric atmosphere. Like a playoff game, maybe even more. Amazing, amazing stuff, New Yorkers.
PS: Extra highlights from the heckling “festivities” lower down in the Newsletter (#7, #12).
2. The Yankees won the game with room to spare
Final score: 7–3.
Trailing for a moment on the Bregman HR in the first, and then, before anyone had time to get surly, it was Giancarlo Stanton in the bottom of the inning, doing this — his first of four hits on the night:
And then in the 6th, an errant Bregman throw, the bases clearing, the Yankees taking a 6–3 lead and never looking back:
3. The Cubs swept the Dodgers in a doubleheader at Wrigley, and Kershaw had his shortest outing ever
A struggling Cubs team, against the best in baseball — and they beat Kershaw and Bauer on the same day.
The whole thing called to mind the 2016 playoff run, at least for the Cub fans — Kershaw vs. Hendricks at Wrigley, like it was the night they won the pennant; and then Bauer on the mound at Wrigley, like it was in Game 5 of the World Series, the game the Cubs just barely won to keep hope alive.
In the seventh inning (the last regular inning), Max Muncy tied it with a HR. In the eighth, the Dodgers score two more. And then, Javy Baez — tying it with a two-run shot to left:
And the next inning, David Bote with the winner:
4. It should be mentioned: Javy Baez made three errors earlier in the day
The heroics in extras were great. Classic. But that afternoon, it was a bit ugly for El Mago — starting from the first at-bat of the game:
This was the worst, two on one play. Must-watch:
5. Braves pitcher Huascar Ynoa hit a grand slam
Baseball coincidences are weird. Baseball coincidences are the best.
And as great as it all was, Ynoa’s got nothing on Tony Cloninger:
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7. More from the Astros heckling festival, at Yankee Stadium
What a most wonderful night of baseball in New York.
8. The Giants scored 10 runs in the first inning
You’d call it a “crooked number” except they scored so much the numbers became not crooked anymore.
Ten runs, capped off by a Brandon Belt grand slam — absolutely unreal.
9. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Rockies had an unbelievable comeback win
Bottom of the seventh. About to lose the doubleheader sweep. Then they score three. Two more runners get on base.
And then, Charlie Blackmon comes to the plate. A long AB. And then — he wins it:
10. Angel Hernandez was “blinded by the lights” and trended on Twitter yet again
You know you’re a bad umpire when every baseball fan in the country knows your name. The missed calls are getting hard to take:
11. Amir Garrett gets suspended seven games
When keeping it real goes wrong:
12. Postgame reactions from the Yankees/Astros game
Even Masahiro Tanaka got in on it, all the way in Japan.
Translation: “I love how the other fans handed beer quickly to the guy who had the trash can.”
13. Zack Greinke was at it again with another very slow pitch
53 mph. Three inches outside.
And he gets rewarded with a cheeky strike call:
14. The #1 play on SportsCenter was an NCAA baseball catch
Northeastern vs. Towson. check it out:
15. Lastly — a few MLB roster moves
The Royals signed Alcides Escobar again, who hasn’t played in the majors since 2018. Looks like they’re getting the band back together:
And then, a sad bit of injury news — Christian Yelich is back on the IL after coming off it for one game:
