After hitting just two home runs in their first three losses vs. the Red Sox in this series, the Yankees clubbed four homers in Sunday's 7-2 win.
NEW YORK – Instead of flaunting their power and strengthening their playoff position, the Yankees’ weekend against the rival Red Sox had dissolved into something else.
By Sunday night, it was all about preventing a four-game sweep and a four-alarm panic.
“We definitely needed this one,’’ said the Yanks’ Jazz Chisholm Jr., who belted two home runs – as did Trent Grisham – in a 7-2 victory that produced a collective exhale at Yankee Stadium.
“Definitely not the weekend we wanted to have,’’ manager Aaron Boone said of dropping three of four games to the Sox, and slipping one-half game behind Boston for the top wild card spot.
“But a good win,’’ with Carlos Rodon pitching into the sixth inning, charged with two runs in a sixth inning where he issued three of his five walks Sunday.
Chisholm's 100th career homer, a second inning two-run shot off starter Dustin May, gave the Yanks their first lead against Boston in 23 innings, since Thursday's fifth inning.
"There’s a real intensity with every game against Boston,'' said Chisholm. "Here, it’s felt like a playoff game.''
Yankees must take advantage of the schedule
After mercifully ending the Red Sox's eight-game winning streak against them, the Yankees have a great chance to immediately improve their wild card playoff standing.
Starting Monday night at the Stadium, the Yanks play two last-place teams - hosting the Washington Nationals (53-77) for three games before traveling to Chicago to play four games against the White Sox (47-83).
Furthering their advantage to join October's tournament, the Yankees finish the season with three games at Minnesota (59-71), four at last-place Baltimore (60-70), and six home games versus the White Sox and O's.
In between, the Yankees have series against three first-place clubs - the Astros, Blue Jays and Tigers - and another series at Boston, but 20 of the Yanks' remaining 32 games are soft-schedule stuff.
Anthony Volpe expected to be a reserve again Monday
In a 1-for-28 slide, embattled shortstop Anthony Volpe – who had started 125 of the Yankees’ first 129 games – was unsurprisingly benched on Sunday night.
Boone was noncommittal about returning Volpe to Monday’s lineup, and late Sunday night Volpe suggested the plan was for him to start again on Tuesday against Washington.
That puts Jose Caballero back as the starting shortstop Monday, after going 0-for-3 Sunday with a long sacrifice fly and a no-drama defensive night.
“As a competitor and as someone that takes pride and wants to be out there every day, you need to take it on the chin, look for the positives…and deal with it,’’ Volpe said. “It’s all on me.’’
Volpe entered Sunday night’s game as an eighth inning defensive replacement, with Caballero switched from shortstop to right field, subbing out Giancarlo Stanton.
In 20 games since Aug. 2, Volpe (who did not bat Sunday) has a .121 average (8-for-66) with a .413 OPS.
Clearly, it’s reached a point where Volpe’s playing time is no longer a guarantee, but however Boone plays it down the stretch, he feels Volpe is “totally wired to handle all of the things that go with being a big leaguer in this city and being a young player with a lot of expectations.
“I don’t think he’s overly affected by those things,’’ Boone said before the game of Volpe, who “works his tail off and is super competitive and trying to find that next level of consistency in his game offensively.’’
Jose Caballero's stock rising with Yankees
Boone was also effusive in his praise for Caballero’s versatility and energetic style.
“Cabby gives you that utility presence, (he can) go play anywhere,’’ Boone said, while mentioning (the spark he provides’’ especially on the bases.
“Just a heady player and really complements the team really well,’’ Boone said in calling Caballero “a winning, championship caliber…kind of 10th man you want.’’
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s moment of reflection
Chisholm’s 100th career homer felt “better with a win,’’ he said. “Especially against a team that’s beaten us a lot this year.’’
But mostly, “it felt kind of surreal’’ to Chisholm, who revealed that “I lost my best friend’’ on Saturday, the details of which he preferred to keep personal.
“I’ve been going through a lot in the last 30 hours,’’ said Chisholm, who could be seen tearing up in the embrace of teammate as he reached the dugout.
Chisholm's 101st career homer was another two-run shot, in the eighth, off ex-Dodger starter Walker Buehler.
At second base, Chisholm also turned two double plays deftly started by third baseman Ryan McMahon that negated walks by Rodon.
Devin Williams finding his form in a setup role
Out of the closer's spotlight, Devin Williams has improved his signature changeup-fastball mix, with terrific results.
Williams has not yielded an earned run over his last seven outings, with just two hits and one walk allowed and 15 strikeouts in 6.1 innings.
On Sunday night, Williams entered in the eighth inning, with the Yanks ahead 5-2, and promptly retired Alex Bregman (7-for-16 in the series) on a grounder and struck out Roman Anthony and Trevor Story.
Boone credited Williams' improved strike-throwing and pitch mix, and "the fortitude to keep going'' for the recent turnaround.
"Really good to see him continuing to pitch really well around a lot of things that have gone on this year,'' said Boone. "This is what he’s capable of.''
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Anthony Volpe's status, Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s emotional night: Takeaways as Yankees salvage series finale vs. Red Sox
Category: Baseball
