Game 2 of the American League Division Series got off to a rousing start on Saturday. Edwin Encarnación drove an RBI single to put the Yankees on the board in the first inning, and Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres combined for another two runs off of Twins’ starter Randy Dobnak in the third. The real powerhouse play, however, came later that inning.
The Twins lifted Dobnak for Tyler Duffey as things started to go south, and by the time Didi Gregorius stepped to the plate, the bases were loaded with just one out. Gregorius worked a 1-2 count against the right-handed reliever, then plucked a 94-m.p.h. fastball from the top of the strike zone and sent it zipping back out past the right field foul pole for a grand slam.
The timing couldn’t have been better. It was Gregorius’ third grand slam of the year and first in the postseason, making him the first Yankees player with a playoff slam since Robinson Canó in 2011.
The Yankees currently lead the Twins 8-1 in the fourth.
