By Rich Mancuso/ Sports Editor
Greg Bird is expected back from the disabled iist when the Yankees take the field in the Bronx Saturday evening and that will add to the home run production for a team that is leading baseball with the long ball. In the meantime the absence of Bird was hardly gelt and you can credit the youngsters on this Yankees team,
One game it could be Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, or Miguel Andujar. Friday night at Yankee Stadium it was the continued and rapid progress of 21-year old Gleyber Torres who got the home run in the seventh inning that gave the Yankees a 2-1 win over the Angels.
This is becoming a habit for Torres. The home run, his 9th to right-center off Jim Johnson was the decisive run that snapped a brief two-game losing streak. The home was historic for Torres, becoming the youngest player in American League annals to homer in four straight games. Adding Bird, assuming he stays injury free, makes the Yankees that more potent. But for now they will settle with Torres who surpassed Andruw Jones and Albert Pujols as that youngest player to hit home runs in four straight games in the modern era.
“Just another mature at bat in that situation,” his manager Aaron Boone said. “He doesn’t try to do too much, He goes with the ball, great swing and mature at bat.”
Torres is quickly becoming a popular player and at Yankee Stadium the sellout crowd of 46,056 made the youngster aware that he has arrived with Judge, Sanchez, Andujar, and of course this entire core of Yankees that continue to lead the league in home runs and runs scored.
“My approach is great,” said Torres. When asked about the record of four home runs in as many games he said, “Doing my job. Just go to the plate. My job try to get my big pitch.”
Those in baseball sau it is the mentality of a player and Gleyber Torres certainly lives up to expectations since arriving on the scene. The Yankees have reinforced their role as the best team in baseball with his bat and Torres is also shining on the with his glove at second base.
As for the game, right-hander Luis Severino did not have his best command however the 6.0 innings and one run, the 16th home run from Mike Trout, was good enough before the bullpen took over.
And two outstanding throws that came from right-fielder Aaron Judge, who nailed runners in the third and seventh innings, all led up to Torres getting the decisive home run ball.
Boone went to Aroldis Chapman for the four-out save, and he recorded his 10th making his longest appearance and save since September of last season against the Minnesota Twins.
“It is something we want to do from time to time,” Boone said about using Chapman to get the four outs. “This was the situation. It was good to see him do that for the first time. Felt it was the move in that spot and he responded.”
The spot was getting another rookie, the Angels highly touted Shohei Ohtani to ground out. That stopped a potential rally and the Gleyber Torres home ball was the difference.
Then again, Torres made the difference Friday night and when the series continues Saturday evening it could be him again, or another one of these young Yankees that keep finding ways to win.
Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com
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