The New York Yankees, led by DJ Lemahieu and Brett Gardner, win their 100th game and clinch the AL East crown in the process.
- New York Yankees 9 (100-54)
- Los Angeles Angels 1 (69-84)
- AL, Final, Box Score
- Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
A three-run second inning on the strength of a DJ LeMahieu three-run home run put the New York Yankees up early and it didn’t stop all night long.
The 9-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in the Bronx on Thursday night gave the Bombers their 100th victory and an AL East crown.
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— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 20, 2019
Your 2019 AL East Champs: pic.twitter.com/4J4dfTX8dS
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 20, 2019
The division title is the club’s first since 2012 and 19th overall. It is, however, the first in the non-Derek Jeter era.
Brett Gardner (solo), Cameron Maybin (solo) and Clint Frazier (two-run) also hit moonshots in the contest, meaning seven of the Yankees nine runs came by way of the longball—a fitting way to clinch the division.
Let's get it started. pic.twitter.com/J1NZbpDjKh
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 19, 2019
Yardy Boys. pic.twitter.com/LKMXHGGXcq
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 19, 2019
On the mound, Masahiro Tanaka took the opening ball from Aaron Boone and provided a solid effort. Tanaka’s one run on four hits and no walks while striking out six Angels in seven innings provided stability.
#TanakaTime well spent. #FeelNoLimits
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— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 20, 2019
Though the game was never in doubt, Boone opted to use closer Aroldis Chapman to finish this one. The lefty struck out two and relented a hit in his inning of work.
The celebration wasn’t as businesslike as previous Yankee division-winning clubs, as the champagne and smiles flowed at Yankee Stadium. But the team still understands this is just the first step of an entire October process, via Associated Press.
“We got a lot bigger fish to fry, but this is the first step along the way,” Boone said. “Nothing has got in their way. Whatever has come adversity-wise, they faced it and powered right through it.”
The only remaining regular-season matter revolves around home-field advantage throughout. The Yankees remain 0.5 games behind the Houston Astros and two wins clear of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the NL side.
