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NEW YORK – A century after Heinie Groh wielded his famed “bottle bat’’ with the 1920s New York Giants, a quintet of Yankees has made “torpedo’’ bats the talk of the town.
After battering the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff for 15 homers and 36 runs during a season-opening three-game sweep, the Yankees’ lineup – torpedo and non-torpedo users – faced a greater challenge beginning Tuesday night.
Corbin Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks arrived at Yankee Stadium, with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly set to follow in rotation.
Even on a frigid night, the Yanks still launched three homers, but Arizona’s five-run eighth inning led to a 7-5 comeback win – handing Aaron Boone’s club its first loss of 2025.
Closer Devin Williams was absent Tuesday, placed on the paternity list, altering the Yankees’ bullpen formula.
With the Yanks leading 4-2 entering the eighth, Luke Weaver was reserved for a ninth inning save that never materialized.
After lefty Tim Hill gave up a run, Mark Leiter Jr. eventually surrendered a go-ahead grand slam to Eugenio Suarez, the reigning NL Player of the Week, now with five home runs.
“Just can’t walk those two guys,’’ Leiter Jr. said of one-out walks to Ketel Marte and Pavin Smith, loading the bases.
But Leiter Jr. rebounded to strike out Bronx villain (from his Cleveland days) Josh Naylor and he got to a 2-and-2 count on Suarez before he drove a flat splitter over the wall in left.
“Definitely disappointing,’’ said Leiter Jr. “I’ve got to make better pitches.’’
Making his first start of 2025, Will Warren was in position for his first MLB win, exiting with a 4-2 lead after five innings.
“That was big for me,’’ Warren said of getting through five, trying to assist a rotation missing Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt (now targeted to return by mid-April).
Warren issued two walks to start the fourth, but escaped damage by inducing a double play grounder from the dangerous Suarez.
Another good sign: After falling behind 2-and-0, Warren struck out Corbin Carroll with a good curveball to end the fifth, stranding a runner in scoring position.
Carroll’s two-out, two-run homer stung Warren in the third. After the rookie right-hander struck out Carroll in the fifth, he let out a shout, punctuated with a fist pump, after striking him out.
“I loved seeing the emotion out there,’’ said Ben Rice. “He’s got electric stuff and he showed he’s a competitor.’’
Warren had four walks and four strikeouts, but his improved curveball and changeup – with a more confident approach – is miles from his rough debut last year, with a 10-plus ERA in six games.
“Really encouraging against a good offense there,’’ said Boone of the heavily lefty-leaning D-backs.
Facing an old nemesis, the Yankees struck out eight times against Burnes.
But they made the right-hander work; Burnes didn’t make it to the fifth inning, expending 98 pitches in 4.1 innings.
Jasson Dominguez took him deep in the third, the Martian’s first homer of the year. Dominguez also looked better in left field, getting a good jump on a sinking liner, though he was still removed defensively in the seventh with the Yanks leading 4-2.
Anthony Volpe’s game-tying, solo shot (his third HR of ’25) came in a three-run fourth, where the Yanks were gifted two runs on Naylor’s throwing error – flipping the ball over Burnes’ head covering first.
Rice homered in the ninth, giving the Yanks 18 homers – the most by any MLB club over the first four games of a season.
If you’re keeping score, that was one torpedo bat homer (Volpe) and two non-torpedo shots Tuesday.
This time against a right-handed starter, Paul Goldschmidt stayed in the leadoff spot (Austin Wells batted sixth), with Cody Bellinger second, Aaron Judge third and Jazz Chisholm Jr. cleanup.
That foursome Tuesday went a combined 0-for-15 with zero walks.
Before the game, Boone said that, depending on the opponent, there’s a chance of seeing this lineup configuration “a good bit.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees belt three more home runs but drop their first game of 2025
Continue reading...
After battering the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff for 15 homers and 36 runs during a season-opening three-game sweep, the Yankees’ lineup – torpedo and non-torpedo users – faced a greater challenge beginning Tuesday night.
Corbin Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks arrived at Yankee Stadium, with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly set to follow in rotation.
Even on a frigid night, the Yanks still launched three homers, but Arizona’s five-run eighth inning led to a 7-5 comeback win – handing Aaron Boone’s club its first loss of 2025.
Yankees bullpen formula altered
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Closer Devin Williams was absent Tuesday, placed on the paternity list, altering the Yankees’ bullpen formula.
With the Yanks leading 4-2 entering the eighth, Luke Weaver was reserved for a ninth inning save that never materialized.
After lefty Tim Hill gave up a run, Mark Leiter Jr. eventually surrendered a go-ahead grand slam to Eugenio Suarez, the reigning NL Player of the Week, now with five home runs.
“Just can’t walk those two guys,’’ Leiter Jr. said of one-out walks to Ketel Marte and Pavin Smith, loading the bases.
But Leiter Jr. rebounded to strike out Bronx villain (from his Cleveland days) Josh Naylor and he got to a 2-and-2 count on Suarez before he drove a flat splitter over the wall in left.
“Definitely disappointing,’’ said Leiter Jr. “I’ve got to make better pitches.’’
Will Warren's solid 2025 debut start
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Making his first start of 2025, Will Warren was in position for his first MLB win, exiting with a 4-2 lead after five innings.
“That was big for me,’’ Warren said of getting through five, trying to assist a rotation missing Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt (now targeted to return by mid-April).
Warren issued two walks to start the fourth, but escaped damage by inducing a double play grounder from the dangerous Suarez.
Another good sign: After falling behind 2-and-0, Warren struck out Corbin Carroll with a good curveball to end the fifth, stranding a runner in scoring position.
Carroll’s two-out, two-run homer stung Warren in the third. After the rookie right-hander struck out Carroll in the fifth, he let out a shout, punctuated with a fist pump, after striking him out.
“I loved seeing the emotion out there,’’ said Ben Rice. “He’s got electric stuff and he showed he’s a competitor.’’
Warren had four walks and four strikeouts, but his improved curveball and changeup – with a more confident approach – is miles from his rough debut last year, with a 10-plus ERA in six games.
“Really encouraging against a good offense there,’’ said Boone of the heavily lefty-leaning D-backs.
Yankees vs. Corbin Burnes
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Facing an old nemesis, the Yankees struck out eight times against Burnes.
But they made the right-hander work; Burnes didn’t make it to the fifth inning, expending 98 pitches in 4.1 innings.
Jasson Dominguez took him deep in the third, the Martian’s first homer of the year. Dominguez also looked better in left field, getting a good jump on a sinking liner, though he was still removed defensively in the seventh with the Yanks leading 4-2.
Anthony Volpe’s game-tying, solo shot (his third HR of ’25) came in a three-run fourth, where the Yanks were gifted two runs on Naylor’s throwing error – flipping the ball over Burnes’ head covering first.
Rice homered in the ninth, giving the Yanks 18 homers – the most by any MLB club over the first four games of a season.
If you’re keeping score, that was one torpedo bat homer (Volpe) and two non-torpedo shots Tuesday.
This time against a right-handed starter, Paul Goldschmidt stayed in the leadoff spot (Austin Wells batted sixth), with Cody Bellinger second, Aaron Judge third and Jazz Chisholm Jr. cleanup.
That foursome Tuesday went a combined 0-for-15 with zero walks.
Before the game, Boone said that, depending on the opponent, there’s a chance of seeing this lineup configuration “a good bit.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees belt three more home runs but drop their first game of 2025
Continue reading...
