Eight Yankees took at-bats. Four Padres pitchers took the mound. Three runs were scored.
The bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday had a little bit of everything. It began with the Yankees down big and nearly ended with them ahead.
“It was interesting. It was working out well there for a while,” manager Aaron Boone said when asked about all the relievers the Padres used in the inning. “We were putting a rally on, but obviously they had a plan there that they had the matchups they wanted to create.”
It worked. The rally was short-circuited when Aaron Hicks grounded into a force play and Gary Sanchez flied out to left. The Padres held on for a 5-4 victory, evening the best-of-three series at a game apiece.
The frame started with left-handed reliever Brad Wieck on the mound. He walked Kendrys Morales and struck out Clint Frazier. Padres manager Andy Green than began a parade from the bullpen. Right-hander Phil Maton came in and promptly walked Thairo Estrada. He was then lifted in favor of left-hander Robbie Erlin. He allowed a single to Brett Gardner, loading the bases. In came setup man Craig Stammen, the fourth Padres pitcher in as many hitters.
“It’s a little unusual, but a lot of times that’s the way the game’s played these days,” Gardner said. “I think that’s why they’re trying to make rules in the future to clean up some of that stuff.”
Stammen was touched up for a two-run single by DJ LeMahieu. Luke Voit followed with an infield single off the third-base bag. Stammen stayed on, though, and retired Hicks and Sanchez.
Sanchez’s evening included his 17th home run, one fewer than he managed all of last season, but also two key outs in big spots. In addition to his fly ball to end the seventh, Sanchez also struck out with two on in the sixth, surprising considering how hot the catcher has been late in games.
“Any time Gary’s at the plate, it’s must-see TV for me,” Gardner said. “He’s capable of doing some special things up there. He’s such a pure hitter and capable of hitting the ball hard all over the field.”
This time, however, he didn’t come through.
