Twins Hold Off Yankees With Carlos Correa Home Run, Controversial Calls
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NEW YORK — Carlos Correa stood at home plate to admire his work, watching as his two-run home run soared over the wall in left field, quieting the crowd at Yankee Stadium and giving the Twins a two-run lead in the eighth.
That go-ahead blast for Minnesota's shortstop, off Yankees right-hander Greg Weissert, turned out to be the difference on Thursday night, the decisive blow that allowed the Twins to secure a 4-3 win and avoid a four-game sweep.
On its own, that swing from Correa was yet another clutch play from one of the best shortstops in the game, taking advantage of a two-strike slider over the plate. Widen your lens just a bit, from a Yankees perspective, and multiple factors led to that moment on Thursday night, setting the scene for a rookie reliever to face a two-time All-Star with the game on the line.
First, flash back to Wednesday. These two teams played 22 innings in a doubleheader, a marathon day of baseball. The Yankees used eight pitchers, including five relievers in a 12-inning walk-off win in Game 1.
Combine a long day of baseball with the Yankees' injuries—the list of pitchers on the IL is longer than a CVS receipt—and it's less of a surprise that Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to the most inexperienced arm in his 'pen.
Michael King, Chad Green, Scott Effross, Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton and more are all out with injuries. Key relievers like closer Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loáisiga and Ron Marinaccio were used on Wednesday. Although he's active, Lou Trivino is battling back spasms.
That's not to say Weissert wasn't capable of getting Correa there. The right-hander has pitched quite well since his disastrous debut in Oakland last month, earning three wins in his previous four appearances. Still, Thursday night was just Weissert's seventh outing in the big leagues. That's a tall order, especially with Correa at the dish.
Now, transition to what transpired a few pitches prior to Correa's homer in the eighth.
Left-hander Wandy Peralta was on the mound for the Yankees, facing the bottom of the order. After a strikeout to start the inning, outfielder Jake Cave pounded a chopper to the right side toward Marwin Gonzalez at first base. As Gonzalez flipped to Peralta, who sprinted to cover the bag, he juggled the ball ever-so-slightly, enough for first base umpire Alex Tosi to call Cave safe.
The Yankees challenged the ruling and replays showed Peralta beating Cave to the bag. Still, the call stood. Evidently Peralta's possession as he stepped on the bag and tried to pin the ball against him with his non-glove hand was inconclusive, not enough for the call to be overturned. The crowd at Yankee Stadium, and Boone, didn't agree with the decision.
"I think he's out," Boone said after the loss, still visibly irked by the call. "We've got to live with the stand. That's just how the system goes."
Instead of ending the inning in a tie game when Peralta struck Kyle Garlick (the next batter) out, the Yankees only had two outs and a runner on. Next batter was Correa and Boone went to the righty for a favorable matchup. You know what happened next.
Regardless, New York was in a position to tie the game or take the lead in both the eighth and ninth innings. The Yankees stranded the tying run on third base in the eighth as pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton struck out swinging on the ninth pitch of an at-bat. In the ninth, New York had the bases loaded with one man out and still couldn't convert—Gleyber Torres struck out and Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the game.
Speaking of controversial calls, Torres' strikeout featured multiple strike calls from home plate umpire Larry Vanover with offerings that were outside the zone.
"We still had our chances," Boone said. "Just came up a little bit short."
MORE:
- Another Yankees Reliever Is Battling an Injury
- Banged-Up Yankees, Aaron Judge Should Expect More Intentional Walks
- DJ LeMahieu Becomes Latest Yankees Hitter to Land on IL
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