Field Level Media
Aug 31, 2018
Rookie Gleyber Torres hit a go-ahead, two-run, bases-loaded single with two outs in the eighth inning as the New York Yankees recorded a 7-5 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Torres put the Yankees on top 6-5 when he lined a 1-1 slider off Alex Wilson to left field. Mikie Mahtook, playing very deep, raced in and attempted a diving catch, but the ball caromed off his glove.
Mahtook's adventure allowed Brett Gardner and Aaron Hicks to score the tying and go-ahead runs after they had reached against Joe Jimenez (4-4).
Torres' hit made him 5-for-11 with 11 RBIs with the bases loaded in his brief career.
After Torres singled, the Yankees loaded the bases again when Neil Walker was intentionally walked. New York took a 7-5 lead on a base hit by Austin Romine that shortstop Ronny Rodriguez could not handle.
The Yankees set up Torres' clutch hit by loading the bases on a double and two walks off Jimenez. Luke Voit walked on a check swing, resulting in Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire's fourth ejection of the season.
Gardenhire raced out of the dugout immediately after Voit walked as replays showed the burly first baseman might not have held up his swing. The manager was quickly tossed by first base umpire Paul Nauert, while Jimenez also began yelling at the umpires.
Zach Britton (2-0) allowed a sacrifice fly to Rodriguez in the eighth that gave Detroit a 5-4 lead. He also gave up a pinch-hit single to Mahtook in the seventh that tied the game.
David Robertson stranded two in the ninth and notched his fifth save.
The wild moments of the late innings occurred after the Yankees overcame a 3-0 lead in a flash against Jordan Zimmermann, who carried a no-hit bid for 5 1/3 innings.
It also occurred after New York manager Aaron Boone was tossed by plate umpire Nic Lentz in the fifth for his objections to the strike zone.
Niko Goodrum homered in the fourth and Jim Adduci hit a two-run triple in the fifth as the Tigers took a 3-0 lead.
Zimmermann lost his no-hit bid and the lead when the Yankees hammered three fastballs in the sixth.
Gardner ended the no-hit bid by slugging a 2-0 fastball into the first row in the right field second deck to make it 3-2. Hicks homered into the right-center field seats on a 0-1 fastball, and two pitches later, Andujar's homer barely cleared the left field wall, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead.
New York's Luis Severino allowed three runs on six hits in six innings while striking out 10. He recorded his 10th career double-digit strikeout game.
Zimmermann allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits in six innings. He gave up the home runs after a fielding error by second baseman Dawel Lugo. It marked the 14th time Zimmermann allowed three homers.
--Field Level Media