Yankees Hit Their Way Back Into Style
By Greg Evans
The Yankees put on an exhibition today against the Sacramento A’s in the 3rd inning. It was one of those innings that get your blood moving, if you’re a Yankees fan.
The Greatest Showman would have been singing at the top of his lungs. I had been watching and listening to the game while digging a hole to plant a blueberry bush, not particularly astute being bear country, but once the bush is big enough, there should be plenty of berries to go around.
I stopped what I was doing to watch the annihilation of the A’s pitching staff. One after the next, the Yankee batters hammering away.
Goldschmidt RBI 1-3 A's. Bases loaded 0 outs
Rice 2-run double. Tie game
Judge RBI single 4-3, Yanks take the lead.
Bellinger single. Bases loaded again. Still no outs
Caballero walks. 5-3 Yanks. Still no outs
2-run RBI single for Grisham. 7-3. Still no outs
Volpe RBI single. 8-3 Yanks. Still no outs
2-run double Schumann 10-3
Yanks. Still no outs
2 run triple Rice. 12-3
Belli rbi single 13-3.
The final score was 13-8. Again the Yankees bullpen struggled, as they have all year, but superb hitting overshadowed the wounded relievers.
There have been flashes of brilliance this year, couples with devastating slumps, and errant pitching, but with some clever reorganization of the pitching lineup, is a pennant out of the question? Some say they don’t stand a chance. I disagree.
The temperature hit 83 degrees today in the mountains, bright yellow sun and crystal clear blue sky, and it seemed like anything was possible. And in the 3rd inning, at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, anything was possible.
The 10,624 seat venue was buzzing. Even A’s fans sat glued to their seats, hypnotized by the brutality of the onslaught. I was sure they were going to put up 30. But all waves break eventually and the surfer has to circle back around and look for another perfect wave.
The Yankees were only five runs off the all-time record for most runs scores in an MLB inning which took place on September 6, 1883. The Chicago White Stockings scored 18 runs in the seventh inning against the Detroit Wolverines. 11 times, 14 runs were scored in an inning between 1889-2024. 15 runs twice, 16 runs twice, and 17 runs once. It was nearly historic. But for 2026, it was.
What this tells us is that the Yankees have the horses and remarkably, while Judge is in a bit of a slump. The season is our oyster, and the fans are hungry. In a gritty time of endless blackouts, $20 watered-down domestic beers, and ghost runners, we need absolute victory.