ANAHEIM, Calif. — Earlier than the Yankees performed a single inning at Angel Stadium this week, Aaron Boone was already being requested concerning the huge showdown looming this weekend up I-5.
“I’m looking out at the Angels right now, so that’s where my mind’s at,” Boone mentioned Monday afternoon within the visiting dugout.
With the Angels now swept out of the way in which, the eye can absolutely flip to the World Collection rematch.
The Yankees took care of enterprise on Wednesday, ending off a three-game sweep of the Angels on the again of one other robust beginning pitching efficiency, this one from Clarke Schmidt in a 1-0 win at Angel Stadium.
Schmidt threw six shutout innings by which he scattered simply 4 hits and one stroll whereas placing out 5, lifting the Yankees (35-20) to their fifth straight win heading right into a weekend collection with the Dodgers that begins on Friday.
In aid of Schmidt, Ian Hamilton (1 ²/₃ innings) and Tim Hill bridged the hole to the ninth for Mark Leiter Jr. — on an evening when Luke Weaver and Devin Williams each seemed to be unavailable — who delivered his second save of the season with a pair of strikeouts.
Between Schmidt, Carlos Rodón and Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees starters on this collection mixed to pitch 19 innings by which they allowed only one run on 11 hits and two walks with 21 strikeouts.
A part of that is likely to be attributed to the state of the Mike Trout-less Angels (25-30), although they’d gained seven straight — together with a sweep of the Dodgers — shortly earlier than this collection.
However additionally it is extra encouraging outcomes for the Yankees rotation, which has now posted an MLB-best 2.54 ERA over its final 40 begins.
They’ve allowed one or zero earned runs in 22 of these begins, together with 9 of their final 13.
Schmidt was coming off an ineffective begin in opposition to the Rockies his final outing on Friday, by which he was considerably handcuffed by the excessive altitude altering his pitches.
However for probably the most half he was sharper on Wednesday, retiring 15 of the ultimate 16 batters he confronted.
The Angels took the bat out of Aaron Decide’s fingers in every of his first two plate appearances, one in every of which led to the Yankees’ solely run of the evening.
The primary got here after Paul Goldschmidt led off the sport with a hustle double and Trent Grisham struck out, leaving first base open with one out.
Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi adopted by strolling Cody Bellinger on 5 pitches to load the bases for Anthony Volpe, who delivered a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead.
The Yankees later reloaded the bases with two outs, however DJ LeMahieu flew out to middle to finish the menace — although they did power Kikuchi to throw 27 pitches.
Within the second inning, the Yankees had been rallying once more with runners on second and third and two outs when Ron Washington flashed 4 fingers as Decide walked to the plate.
This time it labored out completely as Bellinger flew out to depart the bases loaded.
Earlier than Decide got here to the plate for his third at-bat main off the fifth inning, he tipped his cap to Washington, who didn’t reply by placing up 4 fingers. As an alternative, Decide flew out.
The Angels pitched to Decide once more within the seventh inning with two outs and a person on first, which ended with Ryan Zeferjahn getting him wanting on a known as third strike.
