Dellin Betances stole the show from Jonathan Loaisiga with his Gary Sheffield impersonation at the plate – even as the rookie right-hander played stopper for the team with baseball’s best record.
Loaisiga took a no-hitter into the sixth inning Jonah Williams Jersey , Aaron Judge ripped his 20th homer and the New York Yankees snapped a three-game skid with a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
All of which meant the Yankees could laugh about Betances’ first career plate appearance. Batting with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth, Betances wiggled his bat like Sheffield as he took a strike from Yacksel Rios before missing on two mighty swings. That drew chuckles from his teammates in the bullpen.
”I liked to watch Gary and imitate his stance,” Betances said. ”I was trying to do some damage. I took some good hacks. I got my money’s worth.”
Betances said he hadn’t swung a bat in 12 years.
”I was hoping and praying it wouldn’t be my turn,” he said. ”I saw the ball good. Playing catch with Aroldis Chapman helped me out.”
Judge and the rest of the Yankees enjoyed watching Betances trying to make contact.
”It was fun, a pretty cool moment,” Judge said. ”I’m glad he didn’t get hurt.”
Loaisiga (2-0) didn’t allow a hit until Jorge Alfaro lined a single to right leading off the sixth. He struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, throwing 86 pitches in his third start after jumping from Double-A to the majors.
”I felt good from the start, was aggressive and attacked the zone,” Loaisiga said through a translator.
The Yankees, who were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend, haven’t lost four in a row this season and own the best record in baseball (51-25).
”We just had to forget what happened in Tampa and get back on track Elgton Jenkins Jersey ,” Judge said.
Making their first appearance at Citizens Bank Park since beating the Phillies in six games in the 2009 World Series, it felt like home for the Yankees. The sellout crowd of 44,136 was filled with fans cheering for the Bronx Bombers.
Philadelphia’s Vince Velasquez (5-8) allowed two runs and three hits, striking out seven in six innings. He’s given up three runs or fewer in 11 of 16 starts.
David Robertson struck out Rhys Hoskins and retired Odubel Herrera on a grounder to leave runners at second and third after replacing Loaisiga in the sixth. Hoskins didn’t immediately run to first after the ball bounced a few feet away and appeared to exchange words with a fan after walking back out of the dugout.
”He was a little frustrated in that moment,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said of Hoskins. ”Rhys always says and does the right thing, supports his teammates.”
Robertson allowed Scott Kingery’s RBI single in the seventh and gave way to Betances for three outs. Chapman got the last four outs for his 23rd save in 24 tries. He entered with two runners on in the eighth and Carlos Santana flied to deep left on Chapman’s first pitch. The lefty surrendered a solo homer to Maikel Franco with two outs in the ninth.
Gleyber Torres had an RBI double in the first. Judge lined one out to left in the fifth to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a hard bouncer over drawn-in shortstop Kingery’s head for a two-run single in the eighth, extending the lead to 4-1.
I-95 RIVALRY
The Yankees improved to 14-14 against the Phillies, leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers as the only team they have a losing record (6-7) against in the regular season. New York also defeated Philadelphia in the 1950 World Series.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: All-Star C Gary Sanchez was put on the 10-day disabled list because of a Grade 1 right groin strain. Manager Aaron Boone said Sanchez could miss up to four weeks.
Phillies: Right-handed reliever Edubray Ramos was placed on the 10-day disabled list because of a right shoulder impingement.
UP NEXT
RHP Luis Severino (11-2, 2.24 ERA) goes for the Yankees and RHP Jake Arrieta (5-5, 3.42) takes the mound for the Phillies on Tuesday night. Severino has never faced Philadelphia. Arrieta is 3-1, 3.83 in seven career starts vs. New York.
Bobby Wilson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for the Twins, who won their third in a row.
Gibson (3-6) allowed three runs in the first inning – including a two-run homer by Chris Davis – but only gave up two hits after that while striking out nine. It was Gibson’s highest strikeout total since fanning 10 batters on April 26 against the New York Yankees.
Kepler’s solo shot off Kevin Gausman sparked a three-run fifth that tied it. Wilson’s two-run double off Miguel Castro (2-5) in the sixth gave Minnesota the lead for good.
The team with baseball’s worst record, meanwhile, lost its fifth in the row.
Trevor Hildenberger worked a scoreless eighth for the Twins. Jace Peterson’s RBI double off Fernando Rodney pulled the Orioles to 5-4, but Rodney got Tim Beckham on a grounder to short to convert his 19th save in 24 chances.
CUBS 8, REDS 7
CHICAGO – Javier Baez homered and had four hits – including a game-tying infield single in the eighth – and Chicago rallied from a five-run deficit and over Cincinnati.
Anthony Rizzo’s RBI groundout capped a four-run eighth inning for Chicago, which has come from behind in each of its last eight wins.
Eugenio Suarez homered and Billy Hamilton added three hits and three stolen bases for Cincinnati, which had its five-game winning streak against the Cubs snapped.
Randy Rosario (4-0) allowed two hits in 2 1/3 innings to get the win. Brandon Marrow worked the ninth for his 20th save.
Jared Hughes (2-3) took the loss, part of three Reds relievers who allowed five runs in 2 1/3 innings.
PHILLIES 3, PIRATES 2
PITTSBURGH – Nick Williams, Scott Kingery and Jorge Alfaro drove in runs on consecutive at-bats in the seventh inning to help Philadelphia beat Pittsburgh and extend the first-place Phillies‘ winning streak to six games.
Jake Arrieta (6-6) worked around six hits with the help of eight strikeouts to hold the Pirates to two runs over seven innings.
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-7) was charged with all three runs. He had allowed just two singles coming into the seventh. He struck out eight and walked none.
Starling Marte singled and scored in the first and homered in the second as part of a three-hit afternoon to stake the Pirates to an early lead.
Victor Arano worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his second save.
SAN FRANCISCO – Carlos Martinez pitched seven effective innings for his third consecutive win and St. Louis beat San Francisco.
Martinez (6-4) allowed one run on six hits with three strikeouts and did not walk a batter for the third time this season. The right-hander also drove in the Cardinals’ first run with an RBI double in the third.
Jordan Hicks allowed a run in the eighth and Bud Norris retired three batters for his 17th save.
Brandon Belt had three hits and drove in both runs for the Giants. San Francisco has been held to two runs or fewer in five of its last six games.
Jeff Samardzija had an uneven outing in his first start since May 29. Activated off the disabled list before the game, Samardzija (1-5) gave up three runs in five innings and repeatedly pitched with runners on base.
BRAVES 5, BREWERS 1
MILWAUKEE – Anibal Sanchez pitched effectively into the seventh and Freddie Freeman added three hits, lifting slumping Atlanta over Milwaukee.
Sanchez (4-2) retired 19 in a row at one point to help snap Atlanta’s season high four-game skid. He exited with two outs in the seventh after being hit by a liner on his right hip.
Atlanta got to Brewers spot starter Aaron Wilkerson (0-1) early to end Milwaukee’s five-game winning streak. Wilkerson had taken the rotation turn of Brent Suter, who went on the 10-day disabled list with left forearm tightness on Friday.
Sanchez struck out six in a row at one point. But after two easy outs in the seventh, his day ended quickly following a walk to Hernan Perez.
TIGERS 7, RANGERS 2
DETROIT – Nicholas Castellanos homered as part of a seven-run first inning for Detroit, and the Tigers cruised past Texas.
Cole Hamels (4-8) retired only two batters for the Rangers in his shortest start since 2010, and Adrian Beltre had a home run taken away when Detroit’s JaCoby Jones made a spectacular catch in left-center field.
Mike Fiers (6-5) allowed a run and five hits in six innings. He struck out six with one walk.
Rougned Odor hit a solo homer for Texas immediately after Beltre was robbed by Jones. Shin-Soo Choo doubled twice for the Rangers to extend his on-base streak to 46 games, tying Julio Franco’s club record set in 1993.
Niko Goodrum had four hits for the Tigers.
YANKEES 8, BLUE JAYS 5
TORONTO – Luis Severino pitched five innings to earn his major league-leading 14th win Nick Bosa Jersey , Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge each hit solo home runs, and New York beat Toronto.
Severino (14-2) won his fifth straight start, allowing three runs and five hits. Two of the hits were home runs, marking the first time this season that Severino has allowed more than one homer in a game. He has allowed three earned runs or less in 16 consecutive starts.
Jonathan Holder, David Robertson, Dellin Betances each worked one inning and Aroldis Chapman got the first out of the ninth before leaving with an apparent injury. Chasen Shreve finished for New York, giving up a solo homer to Aledmys Diaz.
J.A. Happ (10-5), a potential trade target for the Yankees, had a dreadful audi