The Yankees played a long game against a bad team, but pulled out the win on a night where the Red Sox took a loss. Giancarlo Stanton had the crowd going hot from the beginning, just by showing up. Tanaka pitched a strong game, but allowed a homer, which is what he does. The Yankees offense struggled like crazy, and the bullpen got themselves out of two bases loaded, nobody out, jams.

The real problem with this game is Aroldis Chapman going down in the 12th inning. Another Yankee going to the DL?

GOOD

Bird putting the first out away on the railing, and then helping Tanaka’s pick-off by maintaining the tag for the out.

Gleyber and Walker back-to-back 2-out singles, but sadly they were left on-base.

Gleyber making a DP out of a lineout in the 2nd.

The ump giving Stanton an extra strike in his second at-bat, you know, for the fans.

Tanaka’s easy 3rd inning.

Andujar’s heads-up baserunning in the 4th, when the umps took their sweet time to call Gleyber safe on his hit.

Greg Bird taking the sure out at home, which would have been the tying run, instead of trying a high probablity DP. Yankees have had some problems turning double plays this season, and giving up leads to bad teams, so I’m glad Bird played it safe, especially with Tanaka on a decent roll.

Stanton’s lead-off double that was nearly his 300th homer, as it bounced off the mid-top of the LF wall.

Andujar’s defense on every opportunity today.

Gardner battling for an infield single to get Stanton up with a man on base in the 7th.

The Oriole’s clean 7th inning.

Betances keeping it tied, despite a shift-single to lead-off the 8th.

Neil Walker getting on-base to lead-off the 9th.

Walker getting on-base for the fourth time in the game with a walk in the 11th, despite being down 0-2 to start the at-bat.

BAD

EARLY DREADED GIDP from Hicks.

Romine’s at-bat in the 2nd, which left Gleyber at 3rd, and Tanaka to lead-off the next inning.

Yankees leaving the bases loaded in the 4th. Tanaka having to bat made it harder to score, but it allowed the Marlins to hang around.

Stanton’s lead-off double being left stranded.

Tanaka’s weakness, the solo HR, showing up in the 5th to tie the game.

Luke Voit.

Yankees with RISP.

Walker and Bird being unable to connect on the would-be third out of the 10th inning.

Greg Bird’s at-bats feeling like automatic outs after a grand slam the other day (0-6).

Starlin Castro robbing Austin Romine.

Stanton getting K’d with 2 on, nobody out, in the 12th.

Aaron Hicks being HBP. It loaded the bases, but I’m sick of seeing Yankees get hit by pitches.

Chapman’s lead-off walk with the lead. Even worse was him having to leave the game after one more pitch.

YANKEE

Stanton’s ovation and reaction, and then getting a 117+ mph single in his return to Miami.

“Cap Mattinley”, a kid named “Mattingley’, Andujar, Gleyber, and Neil Walker combining for the #Yankees first run of the game.

Tanaka’s bounce-back 6th inning, complete with inning ending strikeout where Anderson threw his bat at a teammate on mistake.

Chad Green saving his own ass, and everyone else’s, in the 9th.

Holder’s 3 K’s in the 10th.

A.J. Cole doing exactly what Chad Green did, only in the 11th. Gleyber’s play for the first out, a huge K on a bunch of breaking balls, and then a easy pop-up to Du.

Kyle Higashioka leading off the 12th with a sweet hit, and Miguel Andujar’s sac-fly to bring HIggy home.

Tommy Kahnle getting 3 straight outs in place of Chapman, who left a man on for him.

Higashioka’s game-winning caught stealing.

Yankees 3 Stars of the Game

* Kyle Higashioka (Guided Cole out of his jam, winning run, GWG CS)

** Neil Walker ( 2 H, 2 BB, 1 RBI)

*** Masahiro Tanaka (6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4K)