Not everyone in attendance who saw the Yankee walk-off home run in Yankee Stadium on the morning of Mother’s Day thought very much of the hit. Game one of the twin-bill doubleheader ended 2-1 when the Rangers’ John King coughed up a sinker Gleyber Torres planted in the rightfield stands, a contest-winning home run that left the Rangers Manager Chris Woodward less than impressed.
“Just a small ballpark,” Woodward said, the Houston Chronicle reported after the loss. “That’s an easy out in 99% of ballparks. The wind wasn’t helping today, obviously, but 3-1 count … [Torres] just happened to hit it in a little league ballpark to right field.”
The Associated Press reports Williams walked the Yankee Stadium comments back on May 9.
“Probably bad words on my part,” he said. “I gave it a layup for a lot of people. But listen, I meant no disrespect, obviously, to this place. And it’s obviously a world-class organization, ballpark. I talk about it as always being like one of my favorite places to come play, but I understand why Yankee fans will get upset about it. That’s why I love them.”
Perhaps Williams felt better about the situation following game two of the doubleheader on Mother’s Day, as the Rangers won the final stanza of the day 4-2.
The Rangers found themselves trailing 2-0 in the bottom top of the sixth after only managing to scratch out one run in the previous fourteen innings. Eli White hit a 92 MHP sinker into the rightfield bleachers, the same short-porch Williams spoke of, to bring the game to a score of 2-1. This homer was White’s first of the season.
Jonah Hem doubled to left to lead off the inning at the top of the seventh. Following a Yankees pitching change, Kole Calhoun drew a 3-1, pinch-hit walk giving Texas runners at first and second with no outs.
Nathaniel Lowe then struck out on three straight pitches, stranding the runners, before a sacrifice hit by Andy Ibáñez advanced Heim to third as Calhoun was thrown out at second on the play.
Yankee pitcher Michael King then uncorked a wild pitch on his next toss of the inning, with Heim scoring from third and tying the game 2-2.
Just two pitches later, following an 88 MPH changeup by King, Brad Miller socked a 95 MPH fastball over the centerfield wall for a two-run, two-out homer and a 4-2 lead.
Glenn Otto, the 6’3″, 240-pound righty, got the start for Texas in game two of the doubleheader and, though he earned the decision, kept the Rangers in contention as he threw five innings, allowing two runs on two hits while walking three and striking out two.
The Rangers bullpen pitched four shutout innings in relief. Garrett Richards picked up the win, running his record to 1-1 on the season. Dennis Santana (5) and Brett Martin (3) each earned a hold in their set-up relief as Jim Barlow finished the game and earned his fourth save of the season.
The Rangers closed out their series with the Yankees on May 9 before returning to Arlington for six games against the Royals and Red Sox.