Yankees' Big 3 dominant in first game together
The New York Yankees' bullpen worked sequentially Saturday for the first time this season, and the results were terrifyingly predictable.
Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and Aroldis Chapman struck out eight batters and allowed one hit over 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief as the Yankees finally deployed their three-headed bullpen monster in the same game, a 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Betances, the Yankees' seventh-inning weapon, entered the game with two outs in the sixth and struck out all four batters he faced. Miller then punched out two in the eighth, and Chapman fanned a pair during a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
The Cuban left-hander, baseball's hardest-throwing pitcher, once again electrified Yankee Stadium, hitting 100 mph on 12 of his 20 pitches and topping out at a blistering 102.5 mph.
| Inn | Pitcher | Hitter | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Dellin Betances | Melky Cabrera | Strikeout |
| 7 | Dellin Betances | Brett Lawrie | Strikeout |
| 7 | Dellin Betances | Avisail Garcia | Strikeout |
| 8 | Andrew Miller | Austin Jackson | Strikeout |
| 8 | Andrew Miller | Adam Eaton | Single |
| 8 | Andrew Miller | Jimmy Rollins | FC groundout |
| 8 | Andrew Miller | Jose Abreu | Strikeout |
| 9 | Aroldis Chapman | Todd Frazier | Strikeout |
| 9 | Aroldis Chapman | Jerry Sands | Strikeout |
| 9 | Aroldis Chapman | Brett Lawrie | Fly out |
Since the beginning of 2008, Chapman's thrown 121 pitches at 102.5 mph or more, while the rest of baseball has combined for just 15, according to MLB.com's Daren Willman.
The late-inning dominance is just what the Yankees hoped for when they acquired Chapman during the offseason to join Betances and Miller in the bullpen.
A four-time All-Star, Chapman made his highly anticipated Yankees debut Monday after serving a 29-game suspension. The last-place club has won four of six since, and the bullpen hasn't allowed a run in 15 2/3 innings.
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)