Yanks overcome rare bullpen issues to top Giants
NEW YORK -- Chase Headley scored the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning on a throwing error by shortstop Brandon Crawford as the New York Yankees overcame a hiccup by part of their late-inning relief trio and picked up a 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
The winning run scored on what seemed a certain double play.
Austin Romine hit a chopper off Josh Osich (1-2) over the mound and Crawford easily stepped on second to get the force on Mark Teixeira. Headley advanced to third on the force and when Crawford's throw sailed off first baseman Brandon Belt's glove, Headley raced home and got his left foot on the plate just ahead of the tag.
The Yankees needed Headley's alert play on the bases because two-thirds of their late-inning trio faltered.
Dellin Betances allowed the first run to score on a wild pitch during an at-bat to Angel Pagan in the seventh. Andrew Miller (6-1) was credited with the win after allowing three hits in the eighth.
One of those hits was pinch hitter Mac Williamson's game-tying double. Miller was a strike away from finishing the eighth but Williamson lifted a full count fastball over left fielder Brett Gardner's head as Trevor Brown scored and Grant Green was held by third base coach Roberto Kelly.
After the Yankees scored their third run, Aroldis Chapman worked around a leadoff double to Gregor Blanco for his 20th save in 21 opportunities.
Before the eventful seventh and eighth, Masahiro Tanaka highlighted six scoreless innings by getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. He allowed four hits and retired the last eight hitters.
The Yankees had a 2-0 lead in the first two innings on Starlin Castro's RBI double in the first and Carlos Beltran's run-scoring single in the second off Madison Bumgarner.
Castro had three hits off Bumgarner and is 14-for-30 against the left-hander.
Bumgarner allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings.
The Giants dropped their season-high sixth straight game and committed four errors. They are 7 for 51 with runners in scoring position and have made 10 miscues during their skid.
NOTES: San Francisco OF Hunter Pence (hamstring) and 2B Joe Panik (concussion) had the night off from appearing in rehab games. Pence played five innings with Triple-A Sacramento and Panik did not play there Thursday. Manager Bruce Bochy said Panik did not play Thursday because he was not feeling good. ... Giants IF Ehire Adrianza (foot) had his rehab assignment moved from Class A San Jose to Sacramento. ... San Francisco INF Matt Duffy (Achilles) and RHP Cory Gearrin (shoulder) could start rehab assignments next week. Asked about not starting left-handed hitters CF Jacoby Ellsbury, SS Didi Gregorius and C Brian McCann as well as switch-hitting 1B Mark Teixeira against LHP Madison Bumgarner, manager Joe Girardi gave a one-word response: "Madison". ... Against Bumgarner, Gregorius and McCann are a combined 2-for-17 with nine strikeouts. Ellsbury and Teixeira have never faced him.