Headley, A-Rod, Warren Lead Yankees Over White Sox
NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez hit consecutive run-scoring doubles off John Danks in the sixth inning, Adam Warren combined with his bullpen on a three-hitter and the New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox, 2-1, on Saturday to close in on their first postseason berth since 2012.
Jose Abreu singled in a run in the first, his 97th RBI but Warren (7-7), making his third start since rejoining New York's rotation, didn't allow a hit after the first inning and won for the first time since July 25.
New York (85-69) stayed four games behind AL East-leading Toronto (89-65) with eight games remaining and maintained a four-game lead over Houston for the top AL wild card.
With the Yankees likely headed to a one-game wild-card playoff, manager Joe Girardi said he hopes his players will celebrate when they clinch.
"It's an accomplishment," he said.
Still, it's not what the Yankees envisioned when they led the division by seven games before play on July 29. This would mark the first time New York failed to finish first in a season in which it led by more than six games. And it would be their first postseason appearance since the retirements of Mariano Rivera in 2013 and Derek Jeter last year.
Warren (7-7) got his first win since rejoining the rotation this month. He fell behind in the first when he allowed singles to Adam Eaton, Abreu and Trayce Thompson but then retired 10 consecutive batters before walking the bases loaded in the fifth. He got out of the jam by striking out Abreu when first base umpire Brian O'Nora ruled Abreu didn't check his swing in time.
Warren lasted six innings and 88 pitches. In 17 starts this year, he has a 6.88 ERA in the first inning along with a .357 opponents' batting average, according to STATS.
Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller each pitched a perfect inning, with Miller getting his 36th save in 38 chances.
Danks (7-14) held the Yankees to three singles until the sixth, when Jacoby Ellsbury singled leading off and stole second. Headley doubled on a hop into the White Sox bullpen in left-center, and Rodriguez doubled when he hit a hard two-hop bouncer off the glove of third baseman Mike Olt, who tried for a backhand snare. The ball bounced into the seats as Headley scored for a 2-1 lead.
POWER ARMS
Yankees relievers have struck out an AL record 573 batters, two more than the previous mark for bullpens set by New York last year.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: DH Adam LaRoche was back in the starting lineup after being given Friday off. LaRoche, who has a sore right knee, didn't play between Sept. 13 and Thursday's series opener.
Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka's strained right hamstring felt better, and New York manager Joe Girardi is "pretty confident" Tanaka will pitch before the end of the regular season. ... RHP Nathan Eovaldi, sidelined since Sept. 5 by right elbow inflammation, started playing catch Friday.
UP NEXT
Luis Severino (4-3) starts for the Yankees in Sunday's series finale, and Erik Johnson (3-0) opens for the White Sox.
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