NFL
By: Billy Lewis
The New York Yankees came out of the weekend riding high. They swept the Orioles in a four-game weekend series and were able to get to within six games (five in the loss column) of the Boston Red Sox.
The Yankees then welcomed the Chicago White Sox to the Bronx for a three-game set. The Yankees weren’t able to carry the momentum from the weekend and lost Monday’s game 7-2. Tuesday night the Yankees fell behind the White Sox 4-0.
Following clutch two-run home runs from Miguel Andujar and Aaron Hicks, the Yankees were able to tie the game at four. Neil Walker pinch-hit for Ronald Torreyes in the ninth and delivered a walk-off home run.
Last nights rubber match saw the Yankees fall to the Ryan LaMarre show. After two RBI doubles from LaMarre, the White Sox were up 3-0. The Yankees were able to get on the board after a Torreyes RBI single in the fifth inning.
After the Torreyes single, the Bombers had a golden opportunity to tie the game and possibly take a lead. Brett Gardner was at-bat with the bases loaded and one out. Gardner struck out and left it up to Giancarlo Stanton to tie the game. Gleyber Torres was thrown out at the plate attempting to score after a wild pitch and thus ended the Yankees threat.
LaMarre lead off the seventh inning with a home run to extend the White Sox lead to 4-1. Chicago held on to win the game 4-1 and the series two games to one. It was the White Sox first series win in the Bronx since the 2005 season.
The Red Sox were hosting the Marlins as the Yankees played Chicago. Miami was in Boston for two games, and the Red Sox won both games.
Coming into Thursday’s action the Yankees now sit 7.5 games back of the Red Sox. Boston seems to have a stranglehold on the division, however, the two teams still have six head to head games remaining. They’ll play three games in the Bronx September 18-20 and will finish the season in Boston September 28-30.
Wild Card
Though the Yankees sit 7.5 back in the division, they are comfortably in a Wild Card spot. They have a five-game cushion on the Athletics for home field in the Wild Card game and a ten game lead over the Mariners.
The Yankees are a virtual lock for a postseason berth, in fact, both the Yankees and Red Sox have a 100% probability to make the playoffs. Though the division looks to be a daunting task, the fact the Bombers and Sox play each other six more times can give fans a glimmer of hope.
