CC Sabathia, on a rare day he didn’t have it, could not hold the four-run lead his offense gave him early.
No matter.
The pitching-poor Rockies later in the afternoon proved just as ineffective at protecting a four-run cushion.
The result was one wild 9-8 Yankees victory over the Rockies Wednesday afternoon in front of 40,104 at the Stadium, with Starlin Castro leading off the ninth with a walk-off homer off Jason Motte.
The Yankees (35-36) trailed 8-4 before sending 10 to the plate in a four-run seventh, which was highlighted by Carlos Beltran’s three-run homer off righty reliever Jordan Lyles that made it 8-7.
Brian McCann’s two-out double off former Yankees lefty Boone Logan and Didi Gregorius’ RBI single two batters later off Miguel Castro tied it at 8-8.
The Yankees blew a scoring chance in the eighth. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a double against Gonzalez Germen. After Brett Gardner, who reached base three times, popped out to third in foul territory on a bunt attempt, Beltran was intentionally walked, Alex Rodriguez struck out and McCann grounded out.
In the ninth Castro fell behind 0-and-1 before sending one deep into the seats in left for his 10th homer.
Sabathia, who had been on a major roll coming in with a 0.82 ERA in his previous seven starts, lasted just 4 1⁄3 innings.
He allowed six runs (five earned) and seven hits, seeing his ERA climb to 2.71 from 2.20.
The lefthander could not hold the 4-0 lead Chase Headley gave him in the second inning with a grand slam off Rockies starter Jon Gray. It was the Yankees’ first grand slam of the season.
Charlie Blackmon, who hit two homers in Tuesday night’s Rockies victory, had a two-run single in the third to make it 4-2, and Nick Hundley’s three-run homer in the fourth gave Colorado a 5-4 lead.
Sabathia departed with one out and one in the fifth, and was replaced by Anthony Swarzak. The righthander allowed an RBI double by Trevor Story that made it 6-4, and a two-run homer to Ryan Raburn that made it 8-4.
Swarzak pitched a scoreless sixth, giving way to Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman, who each pitched scoreless innings, the quartet giving the Yankees offense a chance to rally against one of baseball’s worst bullpens.
The Yankees’ offense, so often the problem this season, came through.
..... - Newsday