Yankees end five-game skid:
As sure as the 2014 baseball season will be played, is as definite teams will change things up do give a little “boost” or “spark,” as heard so many times by Major League Baseball managers. The New York Yankees latest “change” came in the form of Zelous Wheeler and he did not disappoint.
The Yankees ended a five-game skid at the hand of the Minnesota Twins last night, 7-4, behind Wheeler’s first career big-league home-run, according to NJ.com. With Twins pitcher Phil Hughes on the mound in the fifth, Wheeler came up to belt that home-run only two batters after Beltran did the same (9th of the season for Beltran).
For Wheeler it was a long-time coming after eight-years in the minors; and in his very first game after being called up he delivered a much needed spark.
''It felt great. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, and hopefully I can take advantage of it,'' Wheeler said, according to CBSSports.com.
Masahiro Tanaka was not the guy we’re used to seeing on the mount, but he did the job and picked up his MLB-leading 12th win. He allowed four-runs, nine-hits and only struck out three in seven-innings. Finally some much needed run support showed its face for a Yankee-starter.
Dellin Betances and David Robertson performed their usual duties out of the bullpen to pitch clean eighth and ninth innings to preserve the victory.
Sabathia shut-down:
The bad news on the night for the Yanks was that C.C. Sabathia was shut-down during his rehab assignment in Tampa yesterday.
He woke up yesterday feeling discomfort and fluid in his knee. Yankees GM Brian Cashman called it a "degenerative condition" in his right knee when he was originally placed on the disabled-list.
In eight starts this season Sabathia has a 3-4 record pitching to a robust 5.28 ERA. He will head for an MRI and there is now no telling how long he will be out for.