Bryan Mitchell. With New York short on pitchers, the Yankees reliever played there for the first time since high school.
After throwing a scoreless ninth inning, Mitchell moved to first and allowed one foul popup to fall for an error in the 10th, then caught another. He returned to the mound in relief of closer Aroldis Chapman to start the 11th and gave up run-scoring singles to Mark Trumbo and Welington Castillo in the Baltimore Orioles' 7-4 win Sunday, which stopped New York's winning streak at four.
"The whole series was kind of crazy," Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner said.
New York overcame a 9-1 deficit to win Friday's series opener 14-11 in 10 innings, then romped 12-4 Saturday. With Adam Warren and Tommy Layne unavailable after outings in the middle game, Yankees manager Joe Girardi felt a need to improvise. So when Mitchell reached the dugout in the middle of the ninth, pitching coach Larry Rothschild asked him a question out of right field: Would he move to first if the game went into extras, allowing him to return to the mound later?
"All right. I'll go get a glove. I'll be ready," Mitchell remembered responding.
Mitchell retrieved one of first baseman's Greg Bird's mitts from the clubhouse and became the first Yankees pitcher to play another position since Billy Martin petulantly put Ron Guidry in center for the finish of the Pine Tar Game against Kansas City on Aug. 18, 1983.
Sure enough, the leadoff batter hit the ball to Mitchell -- Castillo's foul pop just in front of first base. Castillo singled after Mitchell's error prolonging the at-bat, and Mitchell rebounded to glove Jonathan Schoop's foul pop for the second out -- earning a standing ovation.
"I was praying for him, to be honest with you," Yankees reliever Dellin Betances said.
Mitchell smiled at his new-found fielding ability.
"I guess I just went back too far and the ball had a lot of spin. I just never actually got there," he said. "Luckily, the next one was a little closer to me."
Girardi wasn't sure whether Mitchell ever had played first.
"I didn't ask," he said. "I have a strikeout pitcher on the mound. You don't assume there's going to be too many groundballs over there."
Even in the 11th, when he was back on the mound, Mitchell tried to keep making fielding plays.
"All of a sudden he started running after every popup," Girardi said, shaking his head.
New York's unconventional move was thwarted by Logan Verrett (1-0), who escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 10th. Castillo scooped shortstop J.J. Hardy's one-hop throw home on Starlin Castro's grounder to force Austin Romine, and the reliever struck out hot-hitting rookie Aaron Judge.
"I thought to myself this is an opportunity for me to have a big moment here at Yankee Stadium and to put a stamp on my Orioles debut," said Verrett, brought up from the minors on Sunday morning.
Castillo kept his left foot on the plate as Romine slid in with his left shoulder.
"It's instinct," Castillo said.
New York stranded 16 runners in a 4-hour 37-minute marathon. Didi Gregorius' two-run, two-out single off Donnie Hart tied the score 4-all in the ninth before Chris Carter took a called third strike with runners at second and third. Orioles manager Buck Showalter was ejected for arguing a balk call on Darren O'Day that set up Gregorius' single.
"Same thing he's been doing for eight or nine years," Showalter said. "Think we call it over-officiating in basketball."
Joey Ricard singled with one out in the 11th against Mitchell (1-1), stole second and, after an intentional walk to Manny Machado, scored on Trumbo's two-out single. Castillo singled for a 6-4 lead, and Machado got into a rundown and came home when Chase Headley bobbled the ball at third.
Verrett finished with only the second 1-2-3 inning for Orioles pitchers. Baltimore starter Wade Miley went to seven three-ball counts in the first three innings, when he threw 79 pitches and stranded seven runners. He walked five or more for the third time in five starts, allowing two runs, eight hits and five walks in five innings.
"They let us hang around a little bit there early," Showalter said. "They had a chance to open some things up and Wade didn't let it happen. That will not go forgotten. He didn't implode and let the game get away from us."
A year after an 8-14 April start, New York ended the first month tied with the Orioles for the AL East lead at 15-8.
"Definitely happy with where we're at," Gardner said.
EYEBALLS
New York's telecasts on YES averaged 330,000 viewers in the New York designated market area through Friday, up from 237,000 in April last year (when Comcast did not carry YES) and 251,000 in April 2015. It is the highest viewership since an average of 341,000 in April 2014, Derek Jeter's last season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: 1B Chris Davis was removed from the starting lineup about an hour before gametime because of a sore right elbow -- he was 0 for 7 with five strikeouts since he was hit on the elbow Friday by a pitch from New York's CC Sabathia. Davis played first in the 11th. ... Closer Zach Britton, on the DL since April 16 with a strained left forearm, pitched a scoreless, one-hit inning Sunday in his second rehab appearance for Double-A Bowie, throwing eight of 11 pitches for strikes.
Yankees: C Gary Sanchez, who hasn't played since April 8 because of a strained right biceps, could be activated for the series at the Chicago Cubs starting Friday. He is to start a rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (3-1) starts Monday's series opener at Boston and RHP Rick Porcello (1-3).
Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (2-1) is on the mound Monday against Toronto and RHP Marco Estrada (0-1).
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Baltimore Orioles
NEW YORK -- Who's on first wasn't an Abbott and Costello question for After throwing a scoreless ninth inning, Mitchell moved to first and allowed one foul popup to fall for an error in the 10th, then caught another. He returned to the mound in relief of closer Aroldis Chapman to start the 11th and gave up run-scoring singles to Mark Trumbo and Welington Castillo in the Baltimore Orioles' 7-4 win Sunday, which stopped New York's winning streak at four.
"The whole series was kind of crazy," Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner said.
New York overcame a 9-1 deficit to win Friday's series opener 14-11 in 10 innings, then romped 12-4 Saturday. With Adam Warren and Tommy Layne unavailable after outings in the middle game, Yankees manager Joe Girardi felt a need to improvise. So when Mitchell reached the dugout in the middle of the ninth, pitching coach Larry Rothschild asked him a question out of right field: Would he move to first if the game went into extras, allowing him to return to the mound later?
"All right. I'll go get a glove. I'll be ready," Mitchell remembered responding.
Mitchell retrieved one of first baseman's Greg Bird's mitts from the clubhouse and became the first Yankees pitcher to play another position since Billy Martin petulantly put Ron Guidry in center for the finish of the Pine Tar Game against Kansas City on Aug. 18, 1983.
Sure enough, the leadoff batter hit the ball to Mitchell -- Castillo's foul pop just in front of first base. Castillo singled after Mitchell's error prolonging the at-bat, and Mitchell rebounded to glove Jonathan Schoop's foul pop for the second out -- earning a standing ovation.
"I was praying for him, to be honest with you," Yankees reliever Dellin Betances said.
Mitchell smiled at his new-found fielding ability.
"I guess I just went back too far and the ball had a lot of spin. I just never actually got there," he said. "Luckily, the next one was a little closer to me."
Girardi wasn't sure whether Mitchell ever had played first.
"I didn't ask," he said. "I have a strikeout pitcher on the mound. You don't assume there's going to be too many groundballs over there."
Even in the 11th, when he was back on the mound, Mitchell tried to keep making fielding plays.
"All of a sudden he started running after every popup," Girardi said, shaking his head.
New York's unconventional move was thwarted by Logan Verrett (1-0), who escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 10th. Castillo scooped shortstop J.J. Hardy's one-hop throw home on Starlin Castro's grounder to force Austin Romine, and the reliever struck out hot-hitting rookie Aaron Judge.
"I thought to myself this is an opportunity for me to have a big moment here at Yankee Stadium and to put a stamp on my Orioles debut," said Verrett, brought up from the minors on Sunday morning.
Castillo kept his left foot on the plate as Romine slid in with his left shoulder.
"It's instinct," Castillo said.
New York stranded 16 runners in a 4-hour 37-minute marathon. Didi Gregorius' two-run, two-out single off Donnie Hart tied the score 4-all in the ninth before Chris Carter took a called third strike with runners at second and third. Orioles manager Buck Showalter was ejected for arguing a balk call on Darren O'Day that set up Gregorius' single.
"Same thing he's been doing for eight or nine years," Showalter said. "Think we call it over-officiating in basketball."
Joey Ricard singled with one out in the 11th against Mitchell (1-1), stole second and, after an intentional walk to Manny Machado, scored on Trumbo's two-out single. Castillo singled for a 6-4 lead, and Machado got into a rundown and came home when Chase Headley bobbled the ball at third.
Verrett finished with only the second 1-2-3 inning for Orioles pitchers. Baltimore starter Wade Miley went to seven three-ball counts in the first three innings, when he threw 79 pitches and stranded seven runners. He walked five or more for the third time in five starts, allowing two runs, eight hits and five walks in five innings.
"They let us hang around a little bit there early," Showalter said. "They had a chance to open some things up and Wade didn't let it happen. That will not go forgotten. He didn't implode and let the game get away from us."
A year after an 8-14 April start, New York ended the first month tied with the Orioles for the AL East lead at 15-8.
"Definitely happy with where we're at," Gardner said.
EYEBALLS
New York's telecasts on YES averaged 330,000 viewers in the New York designated market area through Friday, up from 237,000 in April last year (when Comcast did not carry YES) and 251,000 in April 2015. It is the highest viewership since an average of 341,000 in April 2014, Derek Jeter's last season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: 1B Chris Davis was removed from the starting lineup about an hour before gametime because of a sore right elbow -- he was 0 for 7 with five strikeouts since he was hit on the elbow Friday by a pitch from New York's CC Sabathia. Davis played first in the 11th. ... Closer Zach Britton, on the DL since April 16 with a strained left forearm, pitched a scoreless, one-hit inning Sunday in his second rehab appearance for Double-A Bowie, throwing eight of 11 pitches for strikes.
Yankees: C Gary Sanchez, who hasn't played since April 8 because of a strained right biceps, could be activated for the series at the Chicago Cubs starting Friday. He is to start a rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (3-1) starts Monday's series opener at Boston and RHP Rick Porcello (1-3).
Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (2-1) is on the mound Monday against Toronto and RHP Marco Estrada (0-1).
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
1:05PM,EDT,April 30,2017
Yankee Stadium, New York,New York
Yankee Stadium, New York,New York
View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
Baltimore - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
---|---|---|
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Rickard struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
Jones struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
Machado flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
Wade Miley pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Gardner singled to right. | 0 | 0 |
Hicks grounded into double play, pitcher to second to first, Gardner out at second. | 0 | 0 |
Holliday homered to left center (430 feet). | 0 | 1 |
Castro walked. | 0 | 1 |
Judge walked, Castro to second. | 0 | 1 |
Headley struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Trumbo flied out to left. | 0 | 1 |
Castillo struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
Mancini flied out to right. | 0 | 1 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
Wade Miley pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Gregorius singled to right center. | 0 | 1 |
Carter doubled to deep right, Gregorius to third. | 0 | 1 |
Higashioka struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
Gardner struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
Hicks struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Schoop flied out to right. | 0 | 1 |
Gentry reached on infield single to shortstop. | 0 | 1 |
Gentry stole second. | 0 | 1 |
Hardy walked. | 0 | 1 |
Rickard struck out swinging, Gentry to third on wild pitch by Montgomery. | 0 | 1 |
Jones singled to right, Gentry scored, Hardy to third. | 1 | 1 |
Machado walked, Jones to second. | 1 | 1 |
Trumbo struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
Wade Miley pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Holliday flied out to center. | 1 | 1 |
Castro walked. | 1 | 1 |
Judge walked, Castro to second. | 1 | 1 |
Headley singled to right center, Castro scored, Judge to second. | 1 | 2 |
Gregorius singled to right, Judge to third, Headley to second. | 1 | 2 |
Carter struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
Higashioka popped out to second. | 1 | 2 |
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Castillo struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
Mancini flied out to center. | 1 | 2 |
Schoop safe at first on throwing error by third baseman Headley. | 1 | 2 |
Gentry struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
Wade Miley pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Gardner bunt grounded out to pitcher. | 1 | 2 |
Hicks reached on infield single to first. | 1 | 2 |
Holliday walked, Hicks to second. | 1 | 2 |
Castro grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Holliday out at second. | 1 | 2 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Hardy grounded out to first. | 1 | 2 |
Rickard singled to left. | 1 | 2 |
Jones grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Rickard out at second. | 1 | 2 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
Wade Miley pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Judge singled to left. | 1 | 2 |
Headley lined out to second. | 1 | 2 |
Gregorius struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
Carter flied out to right. | 1 | 2 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Machado walked. | 1 | 2 |
Trumbo walked, Machado to second. | 1 | 2 |
Holder relieved Montgomery. | 1 | 2 |
Castillo singled to center, Machado to third, Trumbo to second. | 1 | 2 |
Mancini grounded into fielder's choice to third, Machado scored, Castillo out at second, Trumbo to third. | 2 | 2 |
Schoop doubled to center, Trumbo scored, Mancini to third. | 3 | 2 |
Gentry grounded out to shortstop, Mancini scored. | 4 | 2 |
Hardy walked. | 4 | 2 |
Rickard lined out to right. | 4 | 2 |
3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
Mychal Givens pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Givens relieved Miley. | 4 | 2 |
Higashioka grounded out to third. | 4 | 2 |
Gardner lined out to left. | 4 | 2 |
Hicks lined out to center. | 4 | 2 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
Tyler Clippard pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Clippard relieved Holder. | 4 | 2 |
Jones reached on infield single to third. | 4 | 2 |
Machado flied out to right. | 4 | 2 |
Trumbo struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
Castillo grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Jones out at second. | 4 | 2 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
Mychal Givens pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Holliday grounded out to second. | 4 | 2 |
Castro singled to right center. | 4 | 2 |
Judge struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
Headley struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
Dellin Betances pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Betances relieved Clippard. | 4 | 2 |
Mancini struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
Schoop struck out looking. | 4 | 2 |
Gentry walked. | 4 | 2 |
Gentry stole second. | 4 | 2 |
Hardy struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
Brad Brach pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Brach relieved Givens. | 4 | 2 |
Gregorius grounded out to second. | 4 | 2 |
Carter singled to right. | 4 | 2 |
Ellsbury hit for Higashioka. | 4 | 2 |
Ellsbury popped out to second. | 4 | 2 |
Gardner struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
Bryan Mitchell pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Romine catching. | 4 | 2 |
Mitchell relieved Betances. | 4 | 2 |
Rickard grounded out to shortstop. | 4 | 2 |
Jones singled to left. | 4 | 2 |
Machado struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
Trumbo flied out to left. | 4 | 2 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
Darren O'Day pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
O'Day relieved Brach. | 4 | 2 |
Hicks fouled out to catcher. | 4 | 2 |
Holliday singled to center. | 4 | 2 |
Castro grounded into fielder's choice to third, Holliday out at second. | 4 | 2 |
Judge walked, Castro to second. | 4 | 2 |
Castro to third, Judge to second on balk by O'Day. | 4 | 2 |
Manager B Showalter ejected by S Scheurwater in the 9th. | 4 | 2 |
Headley walked. | 4 | 2 |
Hart relieved O'Day. | 4 | 2 |
Gregorius singled to right center, Castro and Judge scored, Headley to third. | 4 | 4 |
Gregorius to second on fielder's indifference. | 4 | 4 |
Carter struck out looking. | 4 | 4 |
2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 10th | SCORE | |
Aroldis Chapman pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Mitchell at first base. | 4 | 4 |
Chapman relieved Mitchell. | 4 | 4 |
Castillo continues to bat after dropped foul ball by first baseman Mitchell. | 4 | 4 |
Castillo singled to center. | 4 | 4 |
Mancini struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
Schoop fouled out to first. | 4 | 4 |
Gentry struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 10th | SCORE | |
Logan Verrett pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Verrett relieved Hart. | 4 | 4 |
Romine singled to shallow right. | 4 | 4 |
Gardner sacrificed into fielder's choice to pitcher, Romine to second. | 4 | 4 |
Hicks sacrificed to pitcher, Romine to third, Gardner to second. | 4 | 4 |
Bird hit for Chapman. | 4 | 4 |
Bird hit by pitch. | 4 | 4 |
Castro grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Romine out at home, Gardner to third, Bird to second. | 4 | 4 |
Judge struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Baltimore - Top of 11th | SCORE | |
Bryan Mitchell pitching for New York | BAL | NYY |
Bird at first base. | 4 | 4 |
Mitchell relieved Chapman. | 4 | 4 |
Hardy fouled out to first. | 4 | 4 |
Rickard singled to right. | 4 | 4 |
Jones lined out to right. | 4 | 4 |
Rickard stole second. | 4 | 4 |
Machado intentionally walked. | 4 | 4 |
Trumbo singled to center, Rickard scored, Machado to second. | 5 | 4 |
Castillo singled to right, Machado and Trumbo scored. | 7 | 4 |
Mancini flied out to right. | 7 | 4 |
3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
New York - Bottom of 11th | SCORE | |
Logan Verrett pitching for Baltimore | BAL | NYY |
Davis at first base. | 7 | 4 |
Headley struck out swinging. | 7 | 4 |
Gregorius flied out to left. | 7 | 4 |
Torreyes hit for Mitchell. | 7 | 4 |
Torreyes grounded out to third. | 7 | 4 |
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors |
Baltimore Orioles
Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rickard LF | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | .222 | .263 | .222 |
Jones CF | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 28 | .309 | .369 | .479 |
Machado 3B | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 22 | .224 | .343 | .424 |
Trumbo DH | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 24 | .202 | .250 | .298 |
Castillo C | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 30 | .314 | .333 | .443 |
Mancini 1B | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 20 | .216 | .245 | .549 |
Davis 1B
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .238 | .337 | .413 |
Schoop 2B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 | .288 | .326 | .538 |
Gentry RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20 | .194 | .297 | .323 |
Hardy SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 21 | .195 | .225 | .273 |
Totals | 44 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 209 | |||
BATTING 2B: Schoop (5, Holder) RBI: Jones (11), Mancini (12), Schoop (16), Gentry (4), Trumbo (11), Castillo (6) 2-out RBI: Jones, Trumbo, Castillo GIDP: Jones Orioles RISP: 5-11 (Gentry 0-1, Rickard 0-2, Schoop 1-1, Mancini 0-1, Castillo 2-2, Trumbo 1-2, Jones 1-1, Hardy 0-1) Team LOB: 11 | ||||||||||
BASERUNNING SB: Gentry 2 (3, 2nd base off Montgomery/Higashioka, 2nd base off Betances/Higashioka); Rickard (1, 2nd base off Mitchell/Romine) | ||||||||||
FIELDING DP: 2 (Miley-Schoop-Mancini, Hardy-Schoop-Mancini). |
Game Notes
MGR SHOWALTER EJECTED BOT 9 (ARGUING BALK) |
Game Information
Stadium | Yankee Stadium, New York, NY |
Attendance | 41,022 (82.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
Game Time | 4:37 |
Weather | 61 degrees, cloudy |
Wind | 10 mph |
Umpires | Home Plate - Stu Scheurwater, First Base - Jim Reynolds, Second Base - Brian Knight, Third Base - Lance Barrett |
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