The New York Yankees just had the wildest and weirdest weekend. Capping off a four-game set the Yankees went into Saturday and Sunday (June 25th, 26th) facing the Houston Astros. Going into Saturday the series was tied 1-1 with a bottom of the ninth walk off Yankees win in game one and a tight 3-1 Astros win in game two. Saturday the Yankees went into their home ballpark looking for the series lead. Gerrit Cole was on the mound facing Cristian Javier, Cole has been solid all season long and even flirted with a perfect game as Javier Has been one of the most consistent pitchers in Houston's starting rotation.
The first six innings came and went with a 0-0 score, but this was not your average pitching duel, the Yankees did not have a hit as the Astros only had two hits going into the 7th. Cole was breezing through the 7th with two quick outs, then the Astros would get their first big hit of the game as J.J. Matijevic bashed a 403-foot solo shot to put the Astros on the board, 1-0. The Astros would end up hitting one more homer coming in the 8th against Mike King and would score again in the 9th from three hits off of Lucas Luetge.
Going into the bottom of the 9th inning it was a 3-0 Houston lead as the Yankees were yet to have a hit. At that point Cristian Javier was already out of the game after throwing seven no-hit innings and 115 pitches, being relieved in the 8th by Hector Neris, allowing Ryan Pressly who was looking to close things out and pick up the save. The New York Yankees were being combined no-hit by the Houston Astros. The Yankees were facing a closer they just beat up the other night for the walk off win, coming with an ERA above 4.00 Ryan Pressly was tasked for the final three outs. At the plate for the bottom of the 9th was Anthony Rizzo who went down swinging on strike three along with Josh Donaldson striking out followed by a Giancarlo Stanton weak groundout. The New York Yankees have just been no-hit in the Bronx, in Yankee Stadium by the Houston Astros. This was the first time the Yankees fell victim to being no-hit since 2003 when the Houston Astros threw a combined no-hitter, it was a repeat of history more than 18 years later.
Going into game two on Sunday the Yankees in a way had something to prove, they are 30+ games above .500 and stand as the best team in baseball but just got no-hit the day prior against a team that many project will face the Yankees in the playoffs.Nestor Cortes would get the call to start for New York, facing Jose Urquidy for the final game of the set. It was a true tale of two pitchers as Cortes went to the mound in midst of an all-star season with an ERA below 2.50 as Urquidy came in struggling heavily in the season, despite his 5-2 record the righty had an ERA above 4.30 for the season.
It seemed like a nightmare all over again for the Yankees, five innings of no-hit ball with their last hit coming on Friday. Going into the 7th inning there was still a big zero in the Yankees hit and run column, that would all change though as with one out in the seventh Giancarlo Stanton would smash a dead center home run, giving New York hit No.1 and run No.1, it was then a 3-1 ballgame. Overall the New York Yankees were no-hit by the Astros for 6.1 innings on Sunday and a combined 15.1 innings straight since Friday’s game.
The Yankees would score again in the 8th inning via a DJ LeMahieu two-run shot to tie the game. The ballgame would then go into extra innings after zeros were put on the scoreboard for the 9th inning. Aaron Hicks would be the ghost runner on second to start off the 10th inning, he would advance to third base from a sacrifice bunt by Kiner-Falefa. Matt Carpenter would then pinch hit for catcher Jose Trevino, Carpenter would get the IBB to make runners on the corners, setting up for the double play. DJ LeMahieu would strike out swinging for the second out, bringing Aaron Judge to the plate. Aaron Judge did what he has done all year, coming in clutch. On the second pitch of the at-bat Aaron Judge would drill a three-run shot out of the stadium for the walkoff win, 6-3 the score was, with Seth Martinez getting the loss.
The New York Yankees did not have a hit going into the 7th inning, they were losing 3-0 and in a matter of just one at-bat everything changed as the Giancarlo Stanton home run gave the Yankees life. From the 8th inning of the Friday matchup to the 7th inning and one out of Sunday’s game, the New York Yankees went 0 for 52. It was the longest hitless streak by innings (15.1) for the Yankees in the last 70 years. The Yankees remain the best team in baseball with a 53-20, the record is tied third best in franchise history for the team’s W-L record.
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