The Yankees have now hit 27 home runs in 14 games this season, which is the most in franchise history in that time span according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
If you’re wondering why the ball has been flying out of the yard, though, Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson can’t help you out.
Said Granderson: “Guys just continue to put themselves in a position to hit and be ready to hit and when we get pitches to hit some guys are able to go ahead and put them out of the ballpark,” Granderson said. “That’s pretty much it, there hasn’t been much rhyme or reason as to why the ball has happened to go out of the ballpark the way it has and the amount of times it has except for the fact that guys have been able to make some good swings on some good pitches.”
EXTRA CAGE WORK FOR GARDNER: A drop to the bottom of the order did not galvanize Brett Gardner’s bat. The Yankees left fielder went 0-for-2 Sunday night before being pulled for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of the Yankees 6-5 victory.
Gardner, who’s hitting just .140 and was dropped from the leadoff spot, said he’s been taking some extra swings in the cage and tinkering with his swing, but for one night, it didn’t pay off. He hit into a double play and also struck out.
“I feel it a little bit but it’s one of those things where it takes a little bit of time and some swings and at-bats under your belt and continue to try to work on things,” Gardner said about the extra swings possibly helping Sunday night. “I took a bunch of extra swings in the cage today and even after I came out of the game I took some and hopefully have a good road trip.”
JOBA COUGHS UP LEAD: CC Sabathia was in line for his first win of the season on Sunday night but Joba Chamberlain allowed a two-out double to Michael Young.
Chamberlain said his fastball tailed back over the plate to Young. The Rangers utility man drilled it for a ground-rule double to right, scoring Ian Kinsler. Kinsler reached on a Chamberlain walk.
“CC battled his tail off and I let him down,” Chamberlain said. “That one’s on me. Not anyone else.”
After Eric Chavez gave the Yanks a lead in the eighth with an RBI single, Mariano Rivera came on in the ninth to shut the door. Rivera now has seven saves. It’s the fewest games (14) that he’s needed to reach seven saves in his career.
NO A-ROD, NO PROBLEM FOR CANO: Robinson Cano homered for the second straight day. Cano is hitting .351 with five doubles, three homers and nine RBI over his current nine-game hitting streak. He’s also hitting .319 with nine homers and 32 RBI in 29 career games without Rodriguez.