Yankees.com: Sweet redemption for Rice, who hits go-ahead blast after error in 9th

From Zack Worden:

Mired in one of their worst offensive stretches of the season and a three-game losing streak, the Yankees eased their woes with one swing of the bat on Sunday at Rogers Centre.

Despite entering the bottom of the ninth holding a 2-1 lead over the Blue Jays, some sloppy defense cost New York a shot at a nine-inning victory as first baseman Ben Rice misplayed a Josh Smith ground ball to lead off the inning. Smith would later advance to second on a walk and third on a wild pitch before coming in to score the tying run on Ernie Clement’s sacrifice fly to force extra innings.

It felt like it let the air out of a New York team that has needed to scrap and claw for every run in recent days and was battling to avoid a sweep at the hands of its American League East rivals.

But Rice immediately had his moment of redemption in the top of the 10th, blasting a two-run shot — just his second homer of August — to give the Yankees a 4-3 win and make up for his error.

Trying to make this about Rice isn’t going to work for me. It’s awesome that he hit the home run, but I won’t forget that error, buddy!

But yes, great to have the home run!

This was a much-needed win, even though it occurred in horrendous fashion, with the Yankees blowing a 2-1 lead in the ninth, depriving Ryan Weathers of a much-deserved win and Dylan Cease a hilarious loss.

The featured image is Ryan Weathers hilariously kicking his leg up high in the air in celebration after he got Alejandro Kirk to ground into an inning double play in the bottom of the sixth inning with the game tied and runners on first and third (Kirk took a strike on a 3-0 pitch before this that was clearly a ball, but he figured it wouldn’t make sense to challenge a 3-0 pitch. I disagree. He fucked up, and should have challenged it and loaded the bases).

Weathers was OUTSTANDING, and he really should have gotten through eight innings, but Spencer Jones made a misplay on a flyball that led to a one-out single in the 8th, and Boone went to Bednar to close it out. Just a PHENOMENAL performance by Weathers, and a perfect example of how to follow the game plan that Matt Blake smartly laid out for him. Weathers noted after the game that his worst inning (where he gave up two doubles) it was when he got away from the game plan. Just listen to Matt Blake, you assholes!! He wants what is best for you!

Due to the bullpen being used SO MUCH in games they were inevitably going to lose anyways, Boone had to go to Tim Hill in the 10th. It seemed insane, and yet it was sadly his best bet, as Fernando Cruz cannot be trusted in extras at ALL.

The Yankees continue with their insanely shitty baserunning. After a huge two-out hit in the 7th inning gave the Yankees a lead (with the run charged to Cease), Jose Caballero decided that he would get caught in a rundown so that Jazz could score from third. Not an insane thought, in general, except…A. Obviously Jazz didn’t know he was going to do it, as Jazz was just at third, assuming Cabby was either going to try for a second base, or just stay at first, and B. Even if that was his plan, he then promptly fell down right away, then rolled around and looked like he MIGHT have avoided the tag but I don’t know if you’re allowed to roll around on the basepaths to avoid a tag, so even had he NOT been tagged, he might have been called out.

Just not smart baserunning from Cabby, but hey, he drove in a run, at least. Cabby better be in right field Tuesday night. Heliot Ramos needs a day off.

It is crazy how terrible this offense continues to be. Grisham and Jones just swung at everything today, striking out a combined 598 times between them. McMahon and Wells had no chance. Lombard and Cabby were the only guys who looked kind of frisky (Ramos got a double, to be fair, but he was awful beyond that).

Luckily, Toronto used their best relievers to get wins in Game 1 and 2, so they DIDN’T have their best guys for the 10th, and that worked out (after using a recent DFA guy, Paul Sewald, to shut the Yankees down in the 8th).

Due to this win and the Red Sox losing, the Yankees open up a three-game lead over the BoSox, and are within 5.5 of the Rays. Amusingly, the Yankees’ upcoming opponent, the Baltimore Orioles, are now the new #3 Wild Card by virtue of the Blue Jays losing. Both teams are under .500, but the third Wild Card sucks this year, so a team with a losing record might get it (I doubt it. I imagine the 3rd wild card will end up being, like, 84 wins in the end).

They then get to play a shitty division winner while the Yankees go to Fenway as the second Wild Card.

The Yankees at least kept Schlittler’s Cy Young chances alive. He’s still definitely #2 in the race, but there is time for Cease to blow up.

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