No big boppers? No problem! The New York Yankees have 13 comeback wins this season but some have stood out above the rest.
Heading into the sixth inning and the New York Yankees are losing. How many times have we heard this statement this year?
Now, how many times has that statement been flipped upside down by the incredible magic of this Bronx team?
Thirteen times, to be exact!
This season hasn’t didn’t seem to be going in the favor of the Bronx Bombers from the get-go. With numerous IL stints and disappointing offensive performances, the Yankees picked it up when their back-ups filled in.
And so far this season, the Yankees have shown just how resilient and dominant they can be. Because when it comes down to the final innings of the game, these gritty players do not let up. In fact, they thrive on that magical moment when they can walk away with a win after trailing by four or five.
Of the 13 comeback victories this season, some have clearly stood out as superior to the rest. Let’s take a peek at how ESNY ranks some of the top comebacks from this young season.
6. May 20 at Baltimore
The reason this one is ranked the lowest of the six is because, at its core, the game was an absolutely disgusting display of the sport of baseball. All of these guys’ little league coaches are currently sobbing into their pillows watching all the fundamentals go down the drain.
But, it was a pretty epic comeback so that saves it slightly. Not much, but slightly.
The Orioles jumped out to an early 6-1 lead off a struggling J.A. Happ in the fourth and the Bombers had their work cut out for them. But they just kept chip, chip, chipping away.
A Gary Sanchez single and a Kendrys Morales RBI groundout cut the lead to three before an unearned run crossed the plate for the O’s in the bottom of the sixth.
Now it was really time for the comeback. And the Yankees delivered. Posting two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth, the Bombers entered the top of the ninth down just one run.
Then … single, single, sac fly, walk and a Sanchez homer brings the Yankees to a 10-7 lead and, ultimately, the victory.
These guys simply cannot be stopped, not even by the 15-32 Orioles.
5. April 6 at Baltimore
Another comeback gem in Baltimore for the Bronx Bombers!
After clinging to a 3-2 lead going into the seventh, the Bombers surrendered two runs to the Orioles, putting them up 4-3. When all hope seemed lost, with runners on first and third and two outs, Clint Frazier put his quick hands to good use, crushing a three-run blast to put the Yankees on top.
What … how … why? Where did that come from? The Wildling officially earned his nickname and the Yankees earned the honor of not losing to the team with the furthest odds from winning the 2019 World Series.
4. April 17 vs. Boston
The Rivalry continues! And even though the Red Sox were struggling mightily heading into the two-game set in New York, the Bombers needed to demolish them to stop any sort of momentum going forward.
The Red Sox jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on two home runs and the Yankees bats were silenced. Clint Frazier plated Luke Voit in the bottom of the fourth inning but besides that, the bats were non-existent. It certainly didn’t help that they were facing a rejuvenated Nathan Eovaldi who threw six innings of three-hit ball.
But when the bullpen came out, the Yankees knew it was time to play. Frazier got to Brandon Workman the second he stepped on the mound, wasting no time and driving a single to left. Mike Tauchman worked a walk and following a Gio Urshela strikeout, Austin Romine walked as well. That left the bases loaded for Brett Gardner, who was just itching to hit his 100th career homer.
And boy, did he ever! It was a double celebration as the line shot flew into the right-field seats. The Yankees secured a 5-3 lead over their rivals AND Gardner hit his 100th home run. A beautiful moment all around that made several of his biggest fans cry (well, maybe just me).
It doesn’t matter that the Red Sox were struggling. All that matters is the Yankees pulled off an incredible comeback to bury their rivals.
3. May 17 vs. TBR
The Tampa Bay Rays have been red-hot for quite some time. In fact, they held a pretty significant lead in the AL East until the Yankees and their underdogs came storming back.
And that’s why the May 17-19 series was so significant in the Bronx. With a chance to come away in first place, the Yankees drew blood first.
Cruising with an early 1-0 lead and CC Sabathia on the mound, the Rays scored their first run in the top of the fourth to tie the game.
And that’s when the fun started. After trading goose eggs back and forth, the Rays added two more in the top of the eighth. However, the Bombers had no answer in the bottom of the inning, bringing them to their final at-bat while trailing by two.
And to make matters worse, they were up against 24-year-old phenom Jose Alvarado.
But on the first pitch, Luke Voit put life back into the Stadium, jolting a solo homer to the Yankees bullpen and pulling the team within one.
With a Gary Sanchez single, a Gleyber Torres double and an intentional walk to Clint Frazier, the Bombers were set with the bases loaded and one out. Then the wild pitch came.
With the game now tied and a Maybin fielder’s choice, Maybin steals second and the Yankees are set up for another spectacular walk-off win. That’s where Gio Urshela comes into play.
Urshela crushed his first walk-off hit and the Yankees came away with the victory and first place. What a day for the Bronx Bombers!
2. May 7 vs. SEA
This time, we have a walk-off victory at home, courtesy of DJ! No, not Derek Jeter. DJ LeMahieu. Although, it looked exactly like a certain other DJ’s final hit at Yankee Stadium.
The Seattle Mariners entered with a pretty good streak going and the New York Yankees knew they were more than up for the challenge. They had to be, as a 2-1 game quickly turned into a 4-1 game in the top of the eighth inning, with a 73-minute rain delay mixed in there.
With reliable vet Brett Gardner scoring on a wild pitch and Joe Harvey shutting down the M’s in the top of the ninth, the Yankees entered the last half of the inning down just two runs.
With one out, Gleyber Torres singled to center and Gio Urshela (remember the name) came through with a clutch two-run bomb off former Yankee Anthony Swarzak to tie the game at four.
Cameron Maybin kept the inning going with a single and a stolen base before LeMahieu decided the game was over, lacing a single into right.
After a close play at the plate, Maybin was ruled safe and the Yankees were free to celebrate.
1. April 24 at LAA
The best comeback, by far this season, came on the road, on the other side of the world. The New York Yankees won but they had a challenging road to get there.
Down by five and then down by three in the seventh on the road, the Yankees are expected to lose. Right?
Wrong. The Yankees chipped away and get right back on track against the Angels, resulting in an extra-inning win. With a Tyler Wade walk with the bases loaded, the Yankees cut the score to 5-3. A sacrifice fly from DJ LeMahieu brings the deficit to one. Luke Voit completed the comeback by driving in Mike Tauchman on an exciting play at the plate.
LeMahieu put the Yankees up in the top of the ninth with yet another RBI single to put the Bombers up 6-5.
But a win was not easily had by this team. With a runner on and two outs, Aroldis Chapman closed down the game and secured the Yankees win.
So here we have it! The best comeback victories so far. Of course, there will be plenty more this season but for right now, these are pretty stellar.
