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Less than 24 hours after the Yankees needed nine relievers to cover 11 innings, there was some action in the relieving pen in the second inning on Saturday afternoon.
Andrew Heaney had spotted the Mariners four runs before registering a sixth out and was one hitter away from not surviving the second inning, which could have sent the Yankees pitching staff into a free fall.
“I thought at one point that Anthony Rizzo was going to pitch in this game, to be honest with you,” manager Aaron Boone said with a laugh.
Boone might chuckle as Heaney got back on track before it was too late, eventually settling down to give the Yankees six important innings in their 5-4 win in the Bronx.
Heaney needed 40 shots to get through the second inning and was within yards of giving up a grand slam that would have put the Mariners up 7-1. Instead, Mitch Haniger settled for a fly sacrifice that made it 4-1, but Heaney didn’t allow another run from there.
“Obviously after the first two innings I probably scared everyone – probably Boone, everyone in the bullpen [was] probably a little confused, trying to figure out how to get through this game, ”Heaney said.
Heaney, the former Angels left-hander who had been rocked for four homers on his Yankees debut and allowed a fifth on Saturday, attributed his recovery to a mechanical adjustment. He thought he had corrected it before he left but, instead, he did it midway through the game, staying in line and tighter with his delivery.
“The first two innings were terrible,” said Heaney. “I don’t want this to be any indication of what I can do here.”
Boone said he was away from shooting Heaney, but he stayed with him because of the slim relievers box.
“It’s a tough effort there, when you come on a new team, you try to find your way around, you face it and you keep going,” said Boone. “I just thought it was a really good performance from him.”
Corey Kluber pitched the equivalent of two innings in a live bullpen session Saturday morning, his second since closing in May with a strained shoulder. He threw about 40 shots at Gio Urshela and Tyler Wade.
“I thought he looked good,” Boone said. “He was a little tired at the end, but his forms, the stuff was good.”
Boone said the Yankees will see how Kluber bounces back on Sunday before determining his next move – whether it’s a mock three-innings game or the start of rehab.
Giancarlo Stanton started at right field – his fourth outfield game this season, all in the past 10 days – to allow Boone to use Aaron Judge as DH. … Luis Gil, who pitched six white innings on Tuesday in his MLB debut, will be recalled Sunday for a recall in the series final against the Mariners.
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