New York Yankees' Josh Donaldson passes Tampa Bay Rays' Brandon Lowe (8) as he runs the bases after hitting a walk-off grand slam during the 10th inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, in New York. The Yankees won 8-7. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II, AP)
The Yankees thought they needed youth energy to get out of their funk. Maybe everything you need is a smart veteran stroke. After shaking cosmetic on his list on Wednesday by presenting two prospects, he was the 36 -year -old tole tree, Josh Donaldson, who gave this team his first big victory in a month. Donaldson struck a big slam from the tenth entry to beat the Rays 8-7 at the Yankee Stadium.
"The boys were pumped," said Donaldson about the celebration on the ground. "I really think it was a kind of launch of joy and frustration in the past two weeks."
The Yankees broke a sequence of three defeats and won their third match in their last 14. They are 9-17 of the stars break and 12-22 since they reached their high waaters brand with 38 previous games. 500. They returned to 10 games before the Rays (62-54) in the American League East.
.With Aaron Judge as a ghost corridor at the bottom of the tenth, Gleyber Torres connected a single and Anthony Rizzo to prepare the scene for Donaldson.
The big home ofDonaldson was only his third circuit in the stadium this season. It was the tenth Grand Slam in the history of the Yankees and the third with the Pumpers after at least three races, joining Jason Giambi and Babe Ruth.
."I think we are in a team. I don't think the last two weeks are who we are," said Donaldson. "I think it's a little more an error more than anything. To be ourselves and go and compete until the last final and come and get us. This is what we do."
This is what the Yankees did a lot in the first half of the season. Wednesday's march was his 13th of the season. It was his number 31 victory behind. The Yankees had to fight twice on Wednesday evening.
José Trevino led the eighth with a single and DJ Lemahieu, pinching for Estevan Florial, aligned the first launch he saw since Saturday in the right garden to put the tie race at the base. Andrew Benintendi took a walk, then Pete Fairbanks walked on Aaron Judge in four outings to reduce the advantage of Rays to 4-3.
Torres, who had broken a sequence without race of 18 games with a shot at two years in sixth, was based on a double game to end the threat. It was the 11th double match that ends with the bases loaded for the Yankees this season. Anthony Rizzo, however, led the eighth with his 28th season circuit to equalize the match.
But then, after having obtained the 1.1 Scott without goals, Aaron Boone was with Aroldis Chapman with one at the top of the tenth. The old closure of the Yankees entered and rushed to consecutive strikers to load the bases with one. He struck José Siri and advanced 0-2 against Francisco Mejia before the Rays receiver contributed a quick ball of 101 mph for the straight field line for a double round.
"I mean, it is one of these intestinal blows, with what we produce, especially when it seemed that Chappy straightened the ship there," said Boone. "He gets Siri in the punch and has two good radiators to start Mejia, then it's this type of block there and is just inside the line.
"It's a kind of intestine right there. But credit for boys is like" hey, let's continue to fight ".
It was a fight for Yankees in the past two weeks. They lost five consecutive series. Without Giancarlo Stanton (Achilles injury) and Lemahieu (he lost three games with inflammation of big feet), his alignment seemed lifeless. Donaldson, the former Yankees MVP, made an exchange to acquire Isiah Kiner-Falefa, had problems. He pulled .391 with an OPS of 0.698, well below his career on average of 0.496 and 0.859 respectively.
"He crushed a lot, like many of these guys, especially recently, trying to put himself on his way," said Boone. "He is a great player and a big striker. And I always think it will appear in an extended period here and you know, it's as great as you can get there."
"Today was incredible. Today was so incredible, "said Cabrera. "I did not have my base, but we got the big victory. ... I was so excited to be a little part of that"
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