MLB

Yankees got the Dellin Betances they needed, but didn’t want

In a perfect world for the Yankees, Dellin Betances entering a game with a one-run lead in the eighth inning would be ideal.

However, Aroldis Chapman is out with a left-shoulder injury, so this is not an ideal time for the Yankees, and manager Joe Girardi would have rather not have had to summon the right-hander so early on Saturday.

After Tyler Clippard faltered for a second straight day and put runners on second and third with one out, Betances entered to face Trevor Plouffe and showed he was up to the task in a 3-2 win over the Athletics at Yankee Stadium.

Betances got Plouffe looking on a questionable call by home plate umpire Will Little, which led to Oakland manager Bob Melvin being tossed, then got Chad Pinder swinging before retiring the side in order in the ninth for his fifth save.

“I enjoy coming into those situations [when] the game’s on the line,” Betances said. “You’ve just got to execute. … You make sure you get strike one, and once I get to two strikes, then I’m going for it.”

That is why Girardi turned to him, even if it was earlier than he would have liked.

“I really don’t want to be in the habit of five-out saves, but I felt like today we needed it,” the manager said. “We needed a strikeout and he’s the best at that.”

Dellin Betances and Ronald TorreyesUPI

Matt Holliday, whose two-run homer in the sixth was one of just two Yankees’ hits on the afternoon, wasn’t surprised Betances found a way to prevent a run from scoring.

“It’s crazy how good Dellin is throwing the ball,” Holliday said. “It’s pretty much over when he comes in.”

The Yankees’ offense, which has slowed down over the past nine games, did just enough against rookie Jharel Cotton, who took a no-hitter into the sixth before Holliday broke it up two outs to help make a winner out of CC Sabathia.

After Masahiro Tanaka’s brilliance was wasted in a loss Friday, Sabathia was nearly as good Saturday.

Looking to build on back-to-back solid outings, Sabathia gave up just two runs in 6 ¹/₃ innings and struck out a season-high nine.

Though Cotton lacked control, he was able to keep the Yankees from getting a hit until Holliday took him deep into the visitor’s bullpen in left-center in the bottom of the sixth.

Sabathia, after a 25-pitch first inning, cruised through the next few frames, at one point retiring nine straight — helped in no small part by Little’s expansive strike zone.

The A’s got to Sabathia in the sixth. After the lefty retired the first two batters of the inning, he walked Khris Davis and then Ryon Healy ripped a double down the left-field line and Davis scored from first to tie the game at 1-1.

Plouffe followed by lofting a pop-up to shallow right. Starlin Castro raced back and the ball popped out of his glove, but Aaron Judge was able to catch the rebound to keep the score knotted.

The Yankees took the lead back in the bottom of the inning after Holliday hit his ninth homer of the season as the offense looked to break out of its recent funk.

Adam Warren, who had allowed eight runs in his previous five outings, relieved Sabathia with the tying run on second and got pinch hitter Matt Joyce to ground to first before he struck out Mark Canha to preserve the lead.

Betances was even better. He retired all five batters he faced, and in his past five appearances has thrown 5 ¹/₃ scoreless innings, giving up just a hit while striking out 10.

Because Betances hadn’t pitched since Wednesday, Girardi decided to push him — and it paid off.

“He’s our guy,” Judge said. “I trust him even if it’s bases loaded and no outs. I want Dellin out there.”