New York Yankees vs Seattle Mariners Box Score on Jul 23, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 23, 2017

SEATTLE -- Didi Gregorius hit two home runs and New York's bullpen was dominant as the Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Sunday afternoon at Safeco Field.

The Yankees (51-46) won three of the four games in the series to move into sole possession of the American League's top wild-card spot.

Chad Green (1-0), Dellin Betances and David Robertson combined for 4 1/3 innings of perfect relief before turning it over to closer Aroldis Chapman.

Seattle's Nelson Cruz led off the bottom of the ninth with a line drive off Chapman's right knee. The ball bounced high in the air toward Gregorius, who leaped and tried to make a throw to first in one motion, but Cruz reached on an infield single.

Cruz, who has been hobbled by hamstring and calf problems for the past several weeks, was replaced by pinch-runner Taylor Motter.

Without even throwing a pitch to the next batter, Chapman picked off Motter.

Kyle Seager then doubled off the center-field wall and moved to third on a passed ball. But Chapman got Mitch Haniger to pop out to second base and struck out Ben Gamel to earn his 11th save.

Yankees rookie left-hander Caleb Smith, making his first major league start, allowed only one baserunner through the first three innings but couldn't make it out of the fourth, when Seattle scored all four of its runs.

With the Mariners trailing 3-0, singles by Danny Valencia and Robinson Cano and a walk to Cruz loaded the bases.

It looked like Smith might get out of the jam when he struck out Seager on a 3-2 changeup and got Haniger to foul out to shallow right field, but Gamel hit a soft liner into right for a two-run single and Guillermo Heredia followed with a two-run double into left-center field, making it 4-3 and signaling the end for Smith.

In 3 2/3 innings, Smith allowed four runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

New York regained the lead with three runs in the sixth and could have had more, but left the bases loaded.

With one out, former Yankees left-hander James Pazos (2-3) walked Chase Headley and Todd Frazier before pinch hitter Ronald Torreyes singled to right, loading the bases.

Brett Gardner hit a sinking liner down the left-field line that Gamel made a diving attempt on but couldn't quite reach. Gamel, another former Yankee, did knock the ball down, allowing only one run to score to tie it at 4-4.

Right-hander Tony Zych was summoned to face rookie Clint Frazier, who dumped a two-run double down the left-field line to give the Yankees the lead.

Zych walked Aaron Judge intentionally to re-load the bases, but got Gary Sanchez to pop out to second and Matt Holliday to ground out to end the inning.

The Yankees got off to a good start as Gardner led off the game with a home run, his 17th of the season, and Gregorius went deep in the second and fourth innings, his 13th and 14th, all off Seattle right-hander Yovani Gallardo.

Gallardo, who was making his first start since June 17 after earning his way back into the rotation with a successful stint as a long reliever, went five innings, giving up the three runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

NOTES: Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson was in attendance, sitting in the front row near the New York dugout. ... The Yankees made a series of roster moves before the game: 2B Starlin Castro was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring; IF/OF Tyler Wade was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre; and 1B Ji-Man Choi was outrighted to the RailRiders. The Yankees also made a trade, acquiring minor league 1B Ryan McBroom from Toronto for IF/OF Rob Refsnyder. McBroom will be assigned to Double-A Trenton. ... The Yankees will be off Monday before playing host to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday in the opener of a two-game series. The Mariners will continue their 10-game homestand Monday when they open a three-game series against Boston. LHP James Paxton (9-3, 3.05 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for Seattle, facing Red Sox LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-2, 3.66).