N.Y. Yankees: Jordan Montgomery to the Rescue

From the desk of: THE SULTANS OF SO WHAT

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

Series Tied; 2-2

I - NYY 9; TBR 3

II - TBR 7; NYY 5

III - TBR 8; NYY 4

IV - NYY 5; TBR 1

Yankees Hurlers Toss Three Hitter; Force Game Five

Many people should be thanking their lucky stars for Jordan Montgomery.  A Bronx sized blunder in Game Two is less of an issue now, but only if the Yankees win the series.  In the meantime, they've successfully forged a decisive Game Five against the Rays.  Gerrit Cole remains on course to fulfill his mission.

Making his first ever post-season start, southpaw Jordan Montgomery faces 17 batters, allowing one run on a fielder's choice in the third, three hits and three walks with five strikeouts through the game's first four innings.  In the second and third innings Tampa leaves five runners on base as Montgomery pitches through their threats.  Relievers Chad Green, Zach Britton and Aroldis Chapman then slam the door shut on Tampa.  In a dominant display the trio allows no runs, no hits and just one walk with seven strikeouts over the final five innings.  The Rays are limited to one extra base hit and go hitless in four at-bats with runners in scoring position.

No Rays pitcher goes unscathed.  The Bombers score twice against Ryan Thompson in the second on Luke Voit's first home run of the playoffs and a sac-fly by D.J. LeMahieu.  Glayber Torres connects on a two run home run off Ryan Yarbrough in the sixth and Kyle Higashioka drives in the Yankees fifth run against Aaron Slegers in the eighth.

Aaron Judge goes 0 for 4, and is now 3 for 27 (.111) for the series with two home runs and four runs batted in.  

Still no sight of Gary Sanchez.  He surely will not be catching Gerrit Cole and the Yankees aren't going to insert him at DH over Giancarlo Stanton.  Higashioka is now 5 for 15 (.333) in four starts with a home run and two runs batted in and only one strikeout.  Sanchez has four strikeouts in eight at-bats.  His only hit of the post-season is a home run against Cleveland.

SHOWDOWN

In four starts this season against the Rays, Gerrit Cole has yielded twelve runs (4.88 ERA) on 18 hits and eight walks with 35 strikeouts through 22.1 innings pitched.  His Game Five opponent will be Tyler Glasnow who likewise has made four starts this season against the Yankees allowing ten runs (4.71 ERA) on twelve hits and ten walks with 32 strikeouts over 19.1 innings pitched.  Cole was the winner in Game One; Glasnow the winner in Game Two.  This will be their third head-to-head confrontation of the season.  On August 19, the Rays defeated the Yankees four against two.  Glasnow allowed two earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched.  Cole also allowed two runs over 6.2 innings pitched.  On August 31, Tampa defeats the Yankees by a 5-3 final.  Glasnow allows no runs over six innings pitched.  Cole is roughed up for four runs in five innings pitched.  Gerrit Cole has surrendered seven home runs through four starts against Tampa.  Glasnow has yielded just four home runs to the Yankees in four starts but two came in Game Two.