LDN - Sports

Yanks overcome rare bullpen issues to top Giants

[July 23, 2016] NEW YORK -- Friday was a night of rare occurrences for the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants.

There was the sight of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller allowing runs for the Yankees.

There also was the sight of Gold Glove shortstop Brandon Crawford committing a career-high three errors for the Giants

Betances and Miller (5-1) faltered but the Yankees capitalized on Crawford's final error when Chase Headley scored the tiebreaking run in the eighth and picked up a 3-2 victory over the Giants.

Headley's run gave the Yankees (49-47) seven wins in their last 11 games against the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Giants, who have all been in first place this season.

"We're fighting for our lives from here on out and we found a way to win," said Headley.

For six innings, the Yankees seemed headed for a 2-0 win as Masahiro Tanaka pitched the first six innings and two early runs against Madison Bumgarner stood up.

Then things became eventful for both teams.

Betances allowed a run in the seventh when Jarrett Parker scored on a wild pitch during an at-bat to Angel Pagan. Miller allowed three hits and gave up the lead when pinch hitter Mac Williamson went from being one strike away to getting the tying double over left fielder Brett Gardner's head.

"Obviously these guys have been great all year for us," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "Sometimes they're going give up a run or two and you got to pick them up and that's what we did."

Quickly the Yankees rebounded, putting the first two runners on before Austin Romine hit what seemed to be a certain double play to Crawford.

Romine hit a chopper off Josh Osich (1-2) over the mound and Crawford easily stepped on second to get the force on Mark Teixeira. Headley advanced to third on the force and when Crawford's throw sailed off first baseman Brandon Belt's glove, Headley raced home and got his left foot on the plate just ahead of the tag.

"Just trying to anticipate a bad throw," Headley said. "I knew it was going to be a close throw. I saw it kick it away. I thought it was far enough I could score."

"The last one, I don't know really what other play I had," Crawford said. "I felt most comfortable taking it myself."

Crawford's miscue was the fourth committed by the Giants, who have 10 during a season-high six-game losing streak.

"Just three kind of weird plays," Crawford said. "All different kind of throws, they happened to get away from me."

Headley's dash put the Yankees in place to use Aroldis Chapman. Chapman gave up a leadoff double to Gregor Blanco but ended his 20th save in 21 chances by striking out Belt.

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Yankees third baseman Chase Headley (12) scores a run in front of the throw to San Francisco Giants catcher Trevor Brown (14) during the eighth inning of an inter-league baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

"You got to be opportunistic in games like that and fortunately we found a way," Headley said.

Before the eventful seventh and eighth, Masahiro Tanaka highlighted his outing by getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth by reaching 95 on a strikeout of Gregor Blanco. He allowed four hits and retired the last eight hitters.

The Yankees had a 2-0 lead in the first two innings on Starlin Castro's RBI double in the first and Carlos Beltran's run-scoring single in the second off Bumgarner, who allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings.

San Francisco (57-39) became the first team to lose their first six games after the break after closing the first half with the best record in the majors since the 1991 Los Angeles Dodgers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Williamson's hit off Miller was the Giants only hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position and they are 7 for 51 in those spots during this skid.

"We hit a couple of balls hard, but we didn't get a break, I thought, today, " San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "And that's the way it goes. When you're in winning streaks, everything goes right. Right now, it's not going well for us. But still, you make your breaks. We've got to tighten up and play crisper ball."

NOTES: San Francisco OF Hunter Pence (hamstring) and 2B Joe Panik (concussion) had the night off from appearing in rehab games. Pence played five innings with Triple-A Sacramento and Panik did not play there Thursday. Manager Bruce Bochy said Panik did not playThursday because he was not feeling good. ... Giants IF Ehire Adrianza (foot) had his rehab assignment moved from Class A San Jose to Sacramento. ... San Francisco INF Matt Duffy (Achilles) and RHP Cory Gearrin (shoulder) could start rehab assignments next week. Asked about not starting left-handed hitters CF Jacoby Ellsbury, SS Didi Gregorius and C Brian McCann as well as switch-hitting 1B Mark Teixeira against LHP Madison Bumgarner, manager Joe Girardi gave a one-word response: "Madison". ... Against Bumgarner, Gregorius and McCann are a combined 2-for-17 with nine strikeouts. Ellsbury and Teixeira have never faced him.

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