Severino, Bird step up. Yanks take two of three at the Trop

Hard to not be happy with how these three games played out.  You win a game on Monday where you were down to your last out trailing by a run with nobody on.  You win a game last night against Chris Archer and the only game you lose is the one you started a guy who was on a pitch count of 65.  At this point in the season this is the bare minimum.  Win every series.  The Yankees were able to keep pace with Toronto over the last three days but keeping pace isn't enough.  With each passing game it's going to become more difficult for the Yanks to make up games in the division.

Last night the kids took the game over.  Luis came back after getting shelled by Toronto last Friday and pitched great.  Girardi yanked him early in favor of Justin Wilson but I think he had a few more batters in him.  Bird had the two biggest blows of the game, an RBI double in the second that scored Beltran from first and a monster shot off the catwalk in the 9th for a little insurance.  It's nerve-wracking but it's been really cool to see these two kids, the future of the franchise, thrust into the fire of a pennant race like this and contribute as much as they have.

It was nice to see Ellsbury get a couple of hits against Archer yesterday.  I'd like to hope that gets him going a little bit but I'd bet he's going to be on the bench Friday against Steven Matz.  I'm as frustrated with Ellsbury as anyone but those calling for Slade Heathcott to start over him need to have their head examined.  We need Jacoby to get it together if we're going to do anything and he's too talented to keep playing like this.  You want to tinker with the order a bit?  I think I'm okay with that.  But he has to be in the mix going forward cause if he gets going this lineup becomes exponentially better.

What's worrying me more than Jacoby is Betances.  He really hasn't had any command of his fastball these last few weeks but his stuff is so nasty that he's been able to navigate through it without becoming a disaster.  I know what Girardi is asking of him is insane but that's why Brian McCann said he's the MVP of the team.  The Yankees are only in this thing because of him.  When they give a lead to Dellin the game has to be over or this team doesn't have a prayer.