With the Yankees’ bullpen depleted because of injuries and a high workload, Jordan Montgomery entered Saturday’s game against the Blue Jays even more determined to pitch into the late innings.
A bases-loaded situation with one out in the third, then, was hardly ideal in the Yankees’ 9-1 win in The Bronx.
But the lefty responded by striking out Teoscar Hernandez on a full-count curveball for the second out. He followed that by getting Yangervis Solarte to pop out to Didi Gregorius in shallow right, keeping the game scoreless.
Two innings later, trying to preserve a two-run lead, Montgomery allowed three straight baserunners to start the fifth — including an RBI single by Steve Pearce to make it 2-1.
Again, Montgomery stiffened by fanning Hernandez on an 0-2 curveball, followed by a fly out to short right by Solarte and a grounder to short by Kendrys Morales.
“He got out of jams,” said Austin Romine, who was behind the plate. “He just made pitches. He pitched today. He wasn’t out there just throwing.”
The key, according to Montgomery, is not panicking.
“I try to stay out of those situations, but I feel like I’ve always been a competitor, a bulldog out there,” said Montgomery, who has held hitters to 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position this season. “No matter what happens, I’m not gonna get flustered. … You have to treat it like there’s no one on.”
He also credits watching veteran pitchers like CC Sabathia, David Robertson and Adam Warren for teaching him to approach trouble.
“They’re even-keeled,’’ Montgomery said. “They’re the same guy, no matter what.”
After a 19-pitch fifth got Montgomery to 85 pitches, he went back out and cruised through a six-pitch sixth.
He settled down so effectively, that Aaron Boone was considering sending Montgomery back out for the seventh before the offense erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth.
“He’s hard to hit,’’ Boone said. “Even when he starts spraying it a little bit and looks like he’s losing his command, he has a knack for making pitches. … He’s difficult to hit and square-up consistently. That’s why you see guys swing at a lot of bad pitches on him, too.”
Montgomery’s start was especially well-timed after short outings in back-to-back games by Sabathia and Sonny Gray to start the series against Toronto.
“That’s my thought process, especially when we’re struggling: Be the guy to get us out of it,’’ Montgomery said. “I try to go as many innings as I can. I was trying to help our bullpen out. I was ready to throw 115 pitches. I’m big, 6-[foot]-6, 230 pounds. I can handle it. We’re all building up nicely and we’ll get there eventually.”
