Yankees 4, Twins 3: Greg Bird lifts Yankees to victory

For the first 5 innings, Nathan Eovaldi was perfect, and then he wasn't. The End.

ROLL CALL:

He and Ervin Santana traded zeroes through 3 innings but in the 4th the Yanks broke through on top prospect Greg Bird's two run homer, the first of his career.

The Twins were held hit-less, walk-less, witless, hopeless and hapless through 5 innings. Eovaldi was on cruise control, mowing down Twins hitters with 100 mph heaters. Finally, with 1 out in the 6th, Chris Herrmann broke it up with a dying quail to left. That hit must've loosened something up because Shane Robinson followed Herrmann's single with one of his own. Hicks hit a swinging bunt that advanced the runners but was injured running to first. Then, after Dozier's walk filled the bases, Joe Mauer came through with a 2 run single to tie the game. The Twins weren't done there, though. Miguel Sano walked, and Trevor Plouffe hit an infield single that scored another run. That gave the Twins a 3-2 lead, which is apparently the worst thing you can do to a Twins pitcher.

After Ervin Santana got the first 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th we thought maybe, just maybe we would be able to hold a lead for more than an inning. Our hopes were crushed, however, when he gave up a walk to Carlos Beltran, and then Greg Bird hit his second 2 run homer of the day to give the Yankees the lead again. Bird provided all four runs for the Yankees, which is all they would need as Eovaldi went back to pitching well and the Yanks bullpen took care of the rest.

The only positive I can see in this game is at least the bullpen got a day off, as Santana went 7.2 IP. At this point I'm just glad this series is over, and we can get out of New York.

Notes:

-Aaron Hicks is headed to the 15-day DL, Byron Buxton will be called up to replace him. Sano and Buxton in the same lineup? Sign me up!

-Glen Perkins will be making the flight to Baltimore, no word yet on his MRI results.

-Ricky Nolasco will start playing catch on Monday, but don't expect him to return this year.

-Greg Bird starts long standing tradition of killing the Twins.

-Get it? "Greg Bird lifts.." Because birds fly! HA.

STUDS:

Mauer (2-4, 2 RBI)

DUDS:

Rosario (0-4, 3 LOB), Escobar (0-4)

ROLL CALL: