The Yankees got their biggest series win in what feels like quite some time on Wednesday, completing their sweep of the NL top-seed Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5.
The much-needed three wins came behind a boost from trade deadline acquisition Jazz Chisolm and Wednesday’s hero, DJ LeMahieu.
After the second game of the series lasted long into the Philadelphia night, going 12 innings, Game 3 started not long after with a 12:35 pm first pitch. The man of the early afternoon was the first baseman, LeMahieu. The 36-year-old poured in six RBI in the form of a second-inning grand slam and a sixth-inning two-run double. The six batted in are a single-game career high for LeMahieu, who had just 13 RBI all season in 139 at-bats.
LeMahieu’s career day came in a rare start. He had been struggling the entire season and was facing even more pressure due to the acquisition of Chisolm. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman addressed his future before the game, saying, “There’s an opportunity for him to grind through it. I know he’s a pro. No one can predict the future when where and how. I know he’s searching for it. I think there’s a role for him to play while we’re going through it.”
Grind through it he did. Lemahieu was responsible for all of the Yankees runs off of All-Star pitcher Christopher Sanchez.
The Phillies hung tough the entire game, trying to keep pace with LeMahieu’s output with sacrifice grounder-outs, a pair of Nick Castellanos RBI singles, and a solo home run from Weston Wilson. Yankees starter Nestor Cortes was adequate, though, giving up three runs on three hits in 5.1 innings.
A pivotal moment in the game came when right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle stepped onto the mound with one out in the seventh inning and kept the Yankees lead at two runs with the Phillies having two men on base. Kahnle walked Brandon Marsh to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate, then struck out Kyle Schwarber swinging.
The inning ended dramatically, with new Phillie Austin Hays driving a ball to the left field wall before Alex Verdugo tracked it down in the corner to end the inning right next to the foul pole.
The Yankees got into another jam again in the eighth inning after Castellanos’ second RBI single. With the bases loaded after a Bryson Stott single and a Garrett Stubbs hit-by-pitch in a 6-5 game, legacy Yankee Mark Leiter Jr. struck out Brandon Marsh to preserve the slim lead.
Clay Holmes stepped in to shut the door in the ninth inning and shut the door he did. After Hays nearly walked it off for Philadelphia with another flyout that pushed Verdugo to the wall, Holmes got an ice-cold Bryce Harper to ground into a double play to end the series.
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