Daily dose of Yordan (Game 102)

Today's statline: 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R

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At bat 1 (Top of first): 3 pitch home run to right, 3 RBIs, R

Yordan started the at bat by watching a borderline curve tail outside for ball one, before watching a non-competitive offspeed pitch even more high and away to make the count 2-0. Having such a favorable count, the pitcher was forced to throw Yordan a fastball in the zone, and Yordan capitalized on the lazy inside heater by crushing it way back to right field for a huge opening three-run home run, scoring Altuve and Gurriel. Extremely good at bat by him here to capitalize on a pitcher just getting started and doing damage on a hittable fastball after taking the junk out of the zone.

At bat 2 (Top of third): 5 pitch groundout to second

The at bat started extremely passively, as Yordan took the first two pitches, both curves, for strikes. The first one was right down the middle but the second one was a questionable pitch made less so by the excellent framing by the catcher. Yordan then watched an offspeed pitch and a fastball on consecutive pitches in the same spot low to even the count at 2-2, and then again got a hittable fastball inside near his hands. This time however, Yordan chopped it right into the shift, where the jogging second baseman easily threw out a plodding Yordan to end the inning.

At bat 3 (Top of fifth): 4 pitch single to right, R

Facing the new reliever, known sticky substance user Hector Santiago, Yordan once again received all fastballs in his at bat, extremely interesting to see as all the Mariners relievers this series have been throwing Yordan exclusively fastballs, mostly to no avail. He took the first two, both outside and off the plate, to put himself in a favorable 2-0 count, before getting a pretty questionable strike called on another outside fastball that looked about half an inch outside but was rung up anyways. Finally after throwing Yordan 3 straight outside fastballs, Santiago made the mistake of throwing an inside fastball to Yordan, as he pulled it hard on the ground to the right side. The second baseman was positioned nicely, but the speed of the ball was too much and it squeaked into right field for a leadoff hit. Another good at bat here by Yordan to ignore the outside fastballs the pitcher was obviously trying to get him to chase, and target the inside fastballs he loves. He would later score in the inning on an Aledmys Diaz single to extend the lead.

At bat 4 (Top of sixth): 7 pitch single to left

Yordan's fourth at bat did not start well, as he watched a fastball right down the middle for a strike and then had a rare bad swing at a fastball high and away inside. Needing to protect in an 0-2 hole, Yordan fouled off a high fastball in the zone, and then watched three outside pitches, most of them way outside, to work the count from 0-2 to full. With the turns tabled Santiago had to throw a hittable fastball, and Yordan threw his bat at an outside fastball and dumped it past the shifted infield for an opposite field single. While he wouldn't score in the inning (Correa grounded into a fielder's choice right after him) this was the most impressive at bat by Yordan by far to me, working back from an 0-2 count to a 3-2 count and taking what the defense gave him. Once again, it is worth noting that Santiago, with the exception of one pitch, again threw Yordan all fastballs.

At bat 5 (Top of eighth): 3 pitch groundout to first

Facing former Dodger Casey Sadler in the 8th, Yordan watched a curve low for ball one, and then took another one right down the middle for a stone-cold strike and even the count. Then on the third pitch Sadler induced a groundball out of Yordan on a low fastball, right to the first base side where the 1B made the unassisted out to end Yordan's night. Overall a great night by him today, he was eating up the hittable fastballs the Mariners kept feeding him and spitting on the offspeed pitches. He also looked ok in the field too, although he was replaced by McCormick in the 9th he was moving well and doing good out there. Great game, hopefully it's the start of a hot streak!