Yankees taking on the role of home team for Game 1 at Citizens Bank Park.
A couple of walks to the Phillies in the first inning had them threatening to score the first runs off J.A. Happ. But it was the Yankees who struck first with DJ LeMahieu scoring as the Phillies get Aaron Hicks and Gleyber Torres out for a double play. Brett Gardner would add a two run homer to right field bringing the Yankees to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
Philadelphia would strike back in the fourth. A two run homer by Bryce Harper would close the gap. Two walks and a single would load the bases before Happ would walk another batter, forcing in a run and leaving them loaded. A single by Roman Quinn would allow another run to score. An out at second with an attempt at a double play to end the inning would fail as Quinn reaches, but trips over 1st baseman Mike Ford’s foot on the bag. Phillies lead 4-3.
A homer in the fifth by J.T. Realmuto would increase the lead to 5-3. But the Phillies really broke the game open with six runs in the sixth inning. The first four batters reached with balls getting past the Yankees defense. It would become 8-3 with a missed catch to Kyle Higashioka at the plate allowing two more runs to score. Singles by Realmuto, Scott Kingery, and Didi Gregorius would bring the score to 11-3 in favor of the Phillies. Pitcher Nick Nelson was finally pulled, replaced by Luis Cessa to get Jay Bruce to ground out, finally ending the inning.
Yankees battled back in the bottom of the seventh, the last inning due to 2020 doubleheader rules. Three singles would allow Mike Tauchman to score before Aaron Judge hit another home run, his seventh of the year so far, to bring the Yankees to 11-7. Two more singles, Yankees threatening to close the gap more. But the Phillies held on to the lead, handing New York only their second loss of the year.
Moving on to Game 2.
The teams apparently used most of their daily allotment of runs in the first game because game two only had four in total.
Second inning. Luke Voit hits a solo home run to left field to put the Bronx Bombers on the board. Phillies would manufacture a run of their own to tie it up.
Seventh inning would bring Giancarlo Stanton and Voit to the plate, both hitting singles. Tyler Wade would pinch run for Voit. Stanton would score on a double by Mike Tauchman. Gary Sanchez would be hit on the left elbow to load the bases for the Yankees. Gio Urshela would hit another single, scoring the final run of the game. Yankees win 3-1.
Both teams play each other tomorrow.
