LOS ANGELES — Someday late and one greenback much less.
The Yankees introduced in left-hander Tim Hill within the backside of the fifth inning Saturday after that walking Nestor Cortez in the 10th inning from Friday’s Recreation 1 of the World Sequence, which ended with Freddie Freeman’s historic grand slam.
The leads to Saturday 4-2 game 2 loss solely made Friday’s determination look worse because the side-armed lefty Hill got here in and obtained Recreation 1 hero Freeman to come out to brief, then obtained Tommy Edman — who had homered and doubled earlier in Recreation 2 — seeking to finish the fifth with the Yankees trailing by three runs.
Hill retired all 4 batters he confronted — together with the primary two within the sixth — earlier than being picked off by Clay Holmes.
It was one other instance of journeyman Hill, whom the Yankees introduced again from the moribund White Sox earlier within the 12 months, getting hits — one thing Cortez hadn’t achieved in 37 days earlier than coming into Recreation 1 after lacking greater than a month with elbow damage.
“Nestor I am good with,” Aaron Boone stated of his determination Friday, through which he selected Cortez over Hill.
The supervisor famous that with one out within the tenth Recreation 1, he needed Cortez as a result of he needed a greater likelihood for a strikeout with two runners on base, the tying run on second and a go-ahead run on first.
If there have been two outs, he would go together with Hill, who throws extra for contact.
“Even after the very fact I really feel that method [Cortes decision] was the correct transfer with one out,” Boone stated.
Perhaps, however Saturday wasn’t wanting good.
Hill has allowed only one earned run in seven postseason innings this 12 months, with six hits, a stroll and three strikeouts.
Hill declined to invest on how he would have achieved had he been given the prospect to pitch Friday.
“You’ll be able to’t assume like that,” Hill stated.
Observe The Publish’s protection of the Yankees within the postseason:
Of the post-match controversy, Hill stated: “I attempt to not have interaction in that form of discuss. It is only a distraction. There are numerous distractions. I’ve full religion in Boone and each determination he makes. When it isn’t my flip, it isn’t my flip. … My job is to throw the ball. He decides when and the place.”
As for Cortez, the left-hander stated he’ll be able to pitch once more when referred to as upon after permitting Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Recreation 1 and that the Yankees are assured his elbow is ok.
Nonetheless, pitching coach Matt Blake admitted he was fearful about Cortez’s mindset — no less than to a level — after he allowed one of many largest residence runs in franchise historical past.
“I am slightly bit, however perhaps with him lower than others,” Blake stated earlier than Recreation 2 at Dodger Stadium. “He is sturdy and regarded fairly good [Saturday] and i do know he felt good so we’ll see.
