Yankees’ Wandy Peralta wins battle vs. Rafael Devers in key spot
Wandy Peralta Steadies Yankees in Win Over Red Sox
The Yankees held their breaths on Saturday night as Rafael Devers strode to the plate for the Red Sox with the tying and go-ahead runners on base. Wandy Peralta had just walked consecutive hitters with two outs, setting up the unwanted situation. But, despite momentarily losing the strike zone, Peralta managed to get the dangerous Devers, who already had two homers in the series, on a weak ground ball to second base to end the top half of the seventh inning.
“Wandy’s been so tough,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Wandy’s obviously one of our dudes back there we lean on in every big situation.”
Peralta hung on to the lead, and the Yankees went on to knock off the Red Sox, 3-1.
“Especially against left-handers, he’s been so good, and that’s obviously as good as a lefty gets there,” Boone added of Peralta, who has given up just one hit all year to a left-handed hitter in 34 at-bats.
It was a difficult inning for Peralta. After he retired the first two Red Sox batters with ease, Masataka Yoshida worked out a walk. Peralta then lost Justin Turner, bringing up the lefty Devers, who had hit his 15th homer of the season (and 21st of his career against the Yankees) in his previous at-bat.
At that point, Peralta received a visit from bullpen coach Mike Harkey, who was filling in for pitching coach Matt Blake, who had a death in the family. Despite having thrown a season-high 29 pitches, Boone was unfazed by the southpaw and trusted him to get Devers out.
“Thing about Wandy is he never gives in and he’s fearless, trusts himself to continue to make [his] pitch,” Boone said. “He got Devers there and he executed.”
FAQs:
Q: Who won the game between the Yankees and Red Sox?
A: The Yankees won the game, 3-1.
Q: Why was Rafael Devers at the plate with tying and go-ahead runners on base?
A: Wandy Peralta had just walked consecutive hitters with two outs, setting up the unwanted situation.
Q: Who is Wandy Peralta?
A: Wandy Peralta is a pitcher for the Yankees who came in to relieve starter Domingo German in the sixth inning.
Q: Who is Mike Harkey?
A: Mike Harkey is the bullpen coach for the Yankees. He filled in for pitching coach Matt Blake, who had a death in the family.
Q: How many homers had Rafael Devers hit in the series so far?
A: Rafael Devers had hit two homers in the series before his at-bat against Wandy Peralta.
Key Spot: Yankees’ Wandy Peralta Triumphs over Rafael Devers
The New York Yankees narrowly avoided a disastrous loss to the Boston Red Sox in a tightly contested encounter on 10 June. With the tying and go-ahead runs on base and Rafael Devers at the plate, Wandy Peralta was on the mound for the Yankees, having walked consecutive hitters with two outs. Despite losing the strike zone, Peralta managed to hold on to the lead and end the top half of the seventh inning by getting Devers to hit a weak ground ball to second base.
The Yankees went on to win the game 3-1, but it was a tense moment for the team. Speaking after the game, manager Aaron Boone praised Peralta, saying: “Wandy’s been so tough… that in a lot of ways was the game right there, delivering there, getting the weak contact.”
Peralta had just given up one hit all year to a left-handed hitter in 34 at-bats going into the game and has been particularly effective against left-handed batters. It was a difficult inning for him, after he retired the first two batters with ease, notably forcing Masataka Yoshida to throw 14 pitches with two strikes. After Yoshida worked out a walk, Peralta then lost Justin Turner, bringing up the lefty Devers, who had already hit his 15th homer of the season, and 21st of his career against the Yankees, in his previous at-bat.
Despite Peralta throwing a season-high 29 pitches, Boone was unfazed, saying: “Thing about Wandy is he never gives in and he’s fearless, trusts himself to continue to make [his] pitch. He got Devers there and he executed.”
Peralta’s pitching coach, Matt Blake, was unable to attend the game due to a death in the family, but replacement coach Mike Harkey gave Peralta some pointers. Despite Peralta throwing a season-high number of pitches, Boone decided to let him continue and was pleased with his performance, emphasising his fearlessness and persistence to the end.