Didi and Gardy


Didi Gregorius and Brett Gardner don't get the most attention among The Baby Bombers. Sluggers Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez command the spotlight. And fans are reading about more young stars on the way, such as Gleyber Torres and Clint Frazier. Yet Wednesday night, the two key offensive forces in the Yankees ALDS clinching 5-2 win at Cleveland were their shortstop and left fielder -- not quite bookends in the traditional sense, but the guys who drove home the runs, early and late. Gregorius, the exurberant, erudite, Dutch-born shortstop fired the first big shots: a solo homer in the 1st inning that dented Indians ace Corey Kluber, then a two-run rocket in the 3rd that stretched the lead and silenced the crowd at Progressive Field. The Indians rebounded for a pair of runs against CC Sabathia in the 5th -- before the night settled into a battle of bullpens. One run separating the teams until the top of the 9th and Gardy's moment.
The poster child for "grinder," the left fielder came up with two on and two out to orchestrate an epic battle with Cleveland's Cody Allen, fouling off pitch after pitch after pitch... waiting for one he could tag. On the 12th pitch of his at-bat, Gardy's single to right field scored Aaron Hicks and advanced Todd Frazier to 3rd base. Another shabby defensive play kept Frazier moving, where he beat the throw to the plate and re-established a three-run lead. Aroldis Chapman took it the rest of the way, and after walking the leadoff batter, notched the final three outs as the underdog Yankees sent home the team that posted the American League's best regular season record.
These images of Gregorius and Gardner are from the August 26th Yankees/Mariners game.

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