Yankees stun the Tigers with ninth-inning rally to secure 2-1 win

Marcus Stroman had a very odd start, as while the final line suggests he battled through 5.1 innings of one-run baseball, he cruised for the first five frames. It was easy for the 33-year-old veteran through five, carving through the Tigers and matching Reese Olson with zeroes at every turn. In the sixth inning, however, it seemed as if he lost faith in his sinker as Stroman proceeded to walk three batters straight to plate home the first run of the game.

Ian Hamilton came in relief to get Stroman out of trouble, a much-needed shutout frame to get the Yankees out of a jam, a crucial sequence that kept this game in reach. Throughout the next few innings, a combination of Victor Gonzalez and Dennis Santana would follow up Hamilton with scoreless outings of their own, as the pitching staff kept the Yankees in the game and held their deficit to just one run.

Aaron Judge would pick up a single in the ninth, with Alex Verdugo bunting his way on to create a first and second situation for the struggling Giancarlo Stanton. After striking out in his first three at-bats, he would rocket a 115.9 MPH double down the right field line, scoring Judge and moving Verdugo to third base, tying the game up at one apiece. With the Yankees in need of a second run to walk it off, Anthony Rizzo would step to the plate.

Looking to prevent any more disappointing outcomes with runners on, the veteran first baseman slapped a single just past the leaping grab of Andy Ibanez, as Verdugo scored with ease. The Yankees are now 21-13 on the season, and they’re hoping to continue this roll tomorrow afternoon as Clarke Schmidt goes up against fellow first-round pick Casey Mize at 1:05 PM EST in the Bronx.