The Yankees experienced a nice change of pace from the pressure cooker that were both the series at home against the Tampa Bay Rays, and on the road, in Toronto, and the ballclub took advantage of it. They led from the first all the way to the ninth, and taking the opener in Cincinnati, 5-2.
The recipe of Great American Ball Park and a struggling pitcher in Clarke Schmidt against a veteran journeyman (Ben Lively) making his first start of the year fed a particular narrative. However, if anything, this was a pretty entertaining pitcher’s duel, with both arms limiting hard contact successfully.