NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 24: Kyle Higashioka #66 of the New York Yankees tags out Nathaniel Lowe #30 of the Texas Rangers at the plate for the final out of the first inning at Yankee Stadium on June 24, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City.
Ron Marinaccio retired Marcus Semien on a game-ending popup with two on in the ninth inning, Clay Holmes stranded a pair of runners in the eighth and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 1-0 Saturday after Aaron Judge said he isn’t close to returning from an injured right toe.
Billy McKinney hit his fourth homer since he was brought up two weeks ago to replace Judge, who said before the game he has a torn ligament in his toe that causes pain while walking.
McKinney’s fourth-inning drive off Jon Gray (6-3) bounced off the hand of a fan sitting about halfway up the right-field bleachers. McKinney has reached base in all 15 games with the Yankees this season.
Pitching with a new haircut, Luis Severino (1-2) allowed five hits in six innings, and four relievers finished the Yankees’ fifth shutout. Severino was watching the final out from the clubhouse when Marinaccio secured New York’s fourth 1-0 win decided by a homer since 2009.
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“I was sweating inside here,” Severino said. “It was great. I think our bullpen has been outstanding the whole year and it doesn’t matter what situation; they go out there and do the job.”
New York won with just four hits, its sixth time in seven games with six hits or fewer. The Yankees are hitting a big league-low .191 in June and have 61 runs in 19 games. They are 11-16 with Judge on the injured list and 7-10 since he sprained his right big toe at Dodger Stadium on June 3. New York is 31-19 with the AL MVP available.
Severino entered with a 9.16 ERA in his previous four starts and got his first win since returning last month from a right lat strain that had sidelined him since spring training. He struck out four and walked two.
Texas Rangers - World Series Champions
Severino’s 48 four-seam fastballs averaged 97.2 mph, an uptick from his earlier outings.
“I thought he had a good life again on the fastball and the secondary was better,” Boone said. “That’s what came along today.”
Right fielder Jake Bauers saved a run in the first when he threw out Nathaniel Lowe trying to score from second on Josh Jung’s single.
“You always want to test the arm but more concerned with put this throw in a good spot,” said Bauers, who has nine career outfield assists.
New York held off the major leagues’ top offense with its bullpen, which has a big league-best 2.89 ERA.
After Tommy Kahnle pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, Wandy Peralta allowed singles to Semien and Corey Seager before fanning Lowe.
Holmes got Adolis García to ground out but third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa could not complete the double play. After throwing a wild pitch to the backstop that put runners at second and third, Holmes struck out Jung on an 84 mph sweeper.
Texas put two on starting the ninth before Marinaccio, pitching on five days’ rest, struck out Ezequiel Durán and Leody Taveras. Marinaccio fell behind Semien 3-1 but induced the popup for his second save.
“That’s the thing about Ron, whatever’s going on he’s fearless,” Boone said.
Semien had three of Texas’ eight hits and entered the at-bat hitting .403 with runners in scoring position this year.
“Just like any other at-bat,” Marinaccio said. “There’s two outs there in the ninth. Just trying to make one more pitch and fortunately for us, he flew out.”
Gray allowed one and three hits in five innings.
Texas got blanked for the sixth time this year. The Rangers went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10.
“That big hit just eluded us,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had the right guys up there late in the ballgame, a couple of innings. You couldn’t ask for a better situation but they pitched out of it.”
STANTON DROPPED
Giancarlo Stanton was dropped to fifth for the first time this year and snapped a 0-for-20 skid with a single in the second. He flied out in the fourth and heard some boos for striking out with Anthony Rizzo on first in the sixth.
ORANGE TOSS
New Syracuse basketball coach Adrian Autry threw out the ceremonial first pitch from behind the rubber on the mound. Autry succeeded Jim Boeheim, who retired in March after 47 seasons.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: RHP José Leclerc (sprained right ankle) was placed on the 15-day IL after getting hurt shagging in batting practice Friday. RHP Yerry Rodríguez was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.
UP NEXT
Texas RHP Nathan Eovaldi (9-3, 2.80 ERA) opposes New York RHP Gerrit Cole (8-1, 2.64). Eovaldi threw 113 pitches in a three-hit shutout against the Yankees on April 29 in Texas.
