New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) makes a catch during the second inning of a baseball … More
Over their previous eight games, the Yankees saw their bullpen get massively fatigued and produce an unsightly 10.33 ERA while a reliever took the loss in the first five games of their six-game losing streak this season and second in a little over two weeks.
The scenario was closing in on a seventh straight loss when Juan Soto batted with Francisco Lindor on first after Mark Leiter Jr. hit him with a pitch.
Soto created a strong possibility of another loss when he sliced a line drive to left field, the same place where Jasson Dominguez had his share of adventures the previous two days.
Instead, Cody Bellinger was there for the 31st time this season but even a Gold Glove caliber player does not make all the plays and it seemed Soto’s sinking liner with a .730 expected batting average was destined to elude him and set up another late collapse by the Yankees.
Except Bellinger raced in a few steps, put his glove low but not low enough to touch grass and snagged the ball before it could bounce on the field. It was hard to tell at first and the Mets figured the same which is why they quickly challenged.
“It was definitely a tough play; those ones are low and kind of hard to read,” Bellinger said. “But in that moment, I felt like I could go get it. It was going to be a close play. I had a good beat on it, a good jump. I was just glad I was able to get it before it hit the ground.”
Numerous replays were shown and two songs blared, including “Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus and Chaka Khan. While the song was played in the hopes the Mets would get the call overturned and set up a chance at tying or taking the lead, the Yankees were hoping to be told something good after a week of various futility with their pitching and defense.
After a few minutes, the replay center in midtown-Manhattan in the home of the former SNY studios, gave the Yankees some good news. And the news was even better because of the throw Bellinger made to Paul Goldschmidt, doubling off Lindor.
All sorts of highlight reel catches are made on a constant basis and Bellinger had a game-ending one in right field to beat the Royals on April 16. The unlikely nature of the play and Bellinger successfully covering 29 feet in 2.7 seconds made it even more memorable.
“I got a lot of work in Spring Training knowing I was going to play everywhere,” Bellinger said after his 68th career start in left field and his first in Citi Field’s left field. “Ultimately, it’s just staying confident and trying to get the best jumps possible.”
Given the magnitude of how recent events unfolded for the Yankees, it would not have been surprising if the ball was not caught. Certainly, that was the initial reaction off the bat, especially since manager Aaron Boone’s first thought was “Not good.”
“It was just all around a perfect play,” Aaron Judge said. “We needed it, especially in that spot. That was a game-saving play.”
“The throw was even more impressive than the play,” Jazz Chisholm Jr. said after watching the play unfold from the top step. “It’s one of the toughest plays – and one of the best plays – I’ve seen.”
The Subway Series is renowned for memorable plays. From the Mets perspective there Dave Mlicki’s shutout, Dae Sung Koo’s RBI or Matt Franco’s game-ending hit off Mariano Rivera or the seven homers they slugged off Gerrit Cole last season.
The Yankees have their share such as clinching the 2000 World Series, winning the first meeting of 2009 when Luis Castillo dropped the ball, Derek Jeter’s first pitch homer in Game 4 of the 2000 World Series or Dwight Gooden winning his return to Shea Stadium.
Not many of those are stellar defensive plays and it remains to be seen if the Yankees get on a hot streak similar to the 16 out of 20 they won before following it up with 21 losses in 35 games.
For now, they’ll relish the highlight that potentially saved them from avoiding fielding questions about a seventh straight loss and a four-game deficit in the AL East.
That’s why a day like today is important to get through it and shake hands,” Boone said. “Win. Hang on. A handful of guys do some really good things in that game, whether it be defensively, whether it be out of the bullpen. Those meet-the-moment kind of things that happen throughout the course of the year.
