In a must-win game, when their starter didn't have it, the Yankees bullpen came up clutch. Maybe not Aaron Judge clutch, but they were close.
After Carlos Rodon gave his team just 2.1 innings, and put his team in a 6-1 hole, five relievers combined to get the final 20 outs on Tuesday night to help the Yankees stave off elimination in the team's eventual 9-6 win over the Blue Jays in Game 3 of the ALDS.
"They were awesome," manager Aaron Boone said of the bullpen after the win.
Fernando Cruz was the first man out, getting the final two outs of the third inning before getting an out into the fourth. Camilo Doval continued his recent streak of effective outings by getting the next three outs. Tim Hill picked up the final out in the fifth inning, stranding a runner on second base, before pitching a 1-2-3 sixth inning. Devin Williams picked up four outs and David Bednar locked down the five-out save.
"Cruz coming in and kind of settling things, Camilo continuing to really throw the ball incredibly well," Boone said. "Tim Hill coming in and getting that final out and then going back out knowing he's got to face [George] Springer, but we then added to the lead a little bit. So the fact he was able to get two guys out there and then that kept him in play to face [Davis] Schneider. The add-on run that we had and him getting the first two outs of that inning was really big because then you could afford to — Schneider puts a pretty good swing on it but then flies out to left. And that allowed us to shorten things with Devin and Bednar finishing the last three innings in a shared situation. Really good job by all the pen guys and doing it efficiently, too."
The bullpen's 6.2 shutout innings — allowing just three hits and no walks while striking out nine batters — helped the Yankees complete their largest comeback win in a postseason game since the 2010 ALCS against the Rangers, also a five-run deficit. It also marked only the third time in franchise history that Yankees relievers tossed at least 6.2 scoreless innings in a postseason game.
"Proud of my boys," Hill said of his bullpen mates. "We did what we’re supposed to do."
"You want those shutdown innings, especially after the offense gets some you momentum," Bednar said. "Just keep handing the ball over. We have a really good group down there, just keep trusting everyone."
"Incredible effort by everyone," Williams said. "Everyone stepped up and got as many outs as you could tonight. It was a great performance tonight and gotta go do it tomorrow."
Devin goes beyond
While all the Yankees relievers were spectacular, Williams' was notable as he went and pitched more than an inning for the first time all season. Williams said Boone didn't ask, just told him he was going to go back out there to get Ernie Clement. While he allowed a single, Clement's fourth hit of the game, Williams bounced back to strike out Anthony Santander before being lifted for Bednar.
"This is the time when you're going to need it every now and then," Boone explained of the decision to keep Williams to pitch a second inning. "He was efficient in his inning in the seventh there. So I knew for sure I wanted him to go out and face Clement. And then if he was efficient, Wellsy and I kind of talked about giving him Santander too. And the fact that Clement gets another hit, but he's able to make a couple of really good pitches to get the strikeout of Santander, which was big. That shortened it a little bit for Bednar."
"I was expecting to go further than I did, but it’s all hands on deck right now," Williams said.
Tuesday was Williams' sixth postseason appearance, and the first of at least four outs in his career. The trust Boone has in Williams right now is sky high, and for good reason. Entering Game 3, Williams had allowed just two baserunners (one hit, one walk) in two innings of work. If you want to include just the regular season, since allowing four runs in 0.2 innings back on Sept. 3, Williams has not allowed a run (12 IP).
"He’s a hard worker," Hill said of Williams. "Devin’s always putting in the work no matter what. I saw that from the beginning. Everyone goes through struggles in this game. His work never changed, he stayed the course and that’s why you’re seeing what you’re seeing at this point."
"[He's been] Lights out," Bednar added. "It’s been fun to watch playing in the [NL] Central getting to watch him from the other side and now getting a front seat. It’s been a lot of fun to watch. It’s been very impressive."
Despite the up-and-down first season in the Bronx, Williams says he's kept the same mindset but ist just getting the results he wants now. Once Boone took the ball from him in the eighth, the Yankee Stadium crowd gave the often-maligned reliever a standing ovation for his efforst.
"It’s awesome, nice to feel appreciated sometimes. It was definitely a lot better than what I heard from most of the year," Williams said with a grin.
The Yankees will hope to get the same performance from the bullpen in Wednesday's must-win Game 4. With Cam Schlittler on the mound, Boone may not need many relievers, but they are ready to try and send the series back to Toronto.
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