Wednesday's Random Images

Credit Clint Frazier for the Yankees biggest hit Tuesday night as they took their series opener from the Blue Jays. With the score tied in the top of the 8th, Miguel Andujar singled; Tyler Wade ran for him, and stole 2nd. Then it was the Georgia native's turn -- smoking a hard single down the left field line to put the Yanks ahead to stay in a 6-5 win at Buffalo's Sahlen Field. After struggling this season against division rivals Tampa Bay and Toronto, this was as badly needed as any Yankee victory this season.


A shoutout for Chris Gittens, who joined the select circle of Yankees (that spans Yogi Berra to Aaron Judge) whose first hit for the franchise was a home run. His solo blast in the top of the 4th not only left the Buffalo ballpark, but landed on an approach road beyond Sahlen Field. This image is from 2019, when I first saw Gittens playing for the Yanks then-Double A farm club in Trenton. With Luke Voit just days away from returning from his latest injury, the 27 year-old minor league slugger will have just a few more days to make a lasting impression with Brian Cashman and rival general managers.

An atta boy for Mike Yastrzemski, who gave the Giants a storybook win last night. Down three to the D'backs in the bottom of the 8th, he came up with the bases loaded -- and planted his first career grand slam into McCovey Cove. Not only did it give San Francisco their first lead of the night, it erased a onetime 7-0 Arizona lead. The late blooming Young Yaz, after two impressive San Francisco seasons, had struggled so far in 2021, in part due to a pair of injuries. So his blast has to be a positive sign for the NL West leaders, who've succeeded so far with little help from their surprise star of 2019 and '20.

Taijuan Walker continues to shine for the Mets -- and make a case that he and not Francisco Lindor was Sandy Alderson's best off- season acquisition. The former Pirate struck a career high 12 Tuesday night. Backed by Pete Alonso, who drove in all three New York runs, the Mets edged the Cubs 3-2 in a battle of first place clubs.


Finally, what do you make of the comments by Rays' ace Tyler Glasnow, who blames MLB's mid-season crackdown on on pitchers using "foreign substances" for the elbow ligament injury that will sideline him indefinitely? He claims that having to change his grip -- without practicing that way until now -- caused something to "pop" Monday night inside his arm.

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