The Yankees completed their epic comeback in the Bronx as Giancarlo Stanton belted a two-run walkoff homer to win, 7-5, over the Mariners on Wednesday night. >> Box score
Things to know about Monday's game
1) Stanton came to the plate with Didi Gregorius on first, and a chance to collect not only the win with one swing, but his first signature moment as a Yankee. Well, he did just that, waiting on a curveball from Ryan Cook and launching it 453-feet over the center field wall for the victory. It was Stanton's fourth career walkoff homer and his 18th on the season.
2) The Yankees wouldn't have gotten into the position to walk it off if it wasn't for Gary Sanchez's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at five apiece. Sanchez has been hitting the ball hard, but the results haven't followed. Tonight, he collected not only the homer, but he had a roped single to left as well.
3) The Yankees were down 5-0 at one point in this game, but the comeback began in the bottom of the fifth with Aaron Judge's two-run base knock to come within three. Didi Gregorius hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to make it a two-run game.
4) Starter Jonathan Loaisiga didn't have the same result as his first career start in this one. He was ousted after 3.2 innings as he allowed three earned over that span. It didn't help that Chasen Shreve couldn't get Dee Gordon with two outs in the fourth as he drove in two runs that were credited to the 23-year-old rookie.
5) After Shreve allowed two earned on four hits, Jonathan Holder came in and bandaged up the mess. He didn't allow a run over 2.1 innings as he continued his stellar performance of late. Aroldis Chapman was unhittable to keep the game tied after his 1-2-3 ninth inning.
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A signature moment for Stanton, who has battled himself and the boos at Yankee Stadium all season. He came to New York from the antithesis of baseball in Miami, and while he might never admit it, there is a chance his desperation to silence those who have booed him multiple times this season was impeding his performance.
Stanton came through tonight. And while he finished things off, the Yankees would not have been in a position to win without Holder and Sanchez.
Holder has been putting up zeroes on a regular basis going back to April 21, but he's finally getting recognized as an integral member of the Yankees' bullpen. Holder has now strung together 21 straight appearances without allowing an earned run, and tonight's effort shows he can deliver beyond three outs.
On the offensive side, Sanchez has been blistering the ball of late, however, he had been failing to collect hits for his efforts. Sanchez managed a line drive single (113.2 mph exit velocity), and his game-tying home run was hit at 111.2 mph. He entered tonight's game with a batting average for balls in play of .199 (well over 100 points worse than his career average heading into the season).
If one believes in rising to the mean as much as regression to the mean, then Sanchez could be ready for a hot steak.
Highlights from Monday's game
What's next
The Yankees and Mariners finish up their three-game set with a matinee at Yankee Stadium on Thursday at 1:05 p.m. Luis Severino will pitch for the Yankees, while James Paxton will throw for the Mariners.