Typically, Victor Gonzalez said he will let a comebacker like the one in the ninth inning go past him, allowing his fielders to do the work.
For some reason he couldn’t pinpoint, this was different.
“It was a reaction,” the Yankees’ reliever said through an interpreter.
Victor Gonzalez pitches during the Yankees’ win over the Rays on April 21, 2024. Getty Images Gonzalez reached behind his back for the soft line drive off the bat of pinch-hitter Harold Ramirez.
He didn’t catch it, but he redirected it to the right side of the mound halfway to first base.
Gonzalez sprinted after it, grabbed it and flipped the ball to Anthony Rizzo for the final out before diving on his stomach to close out the victory in style.
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“Immediately I noticed I was able to knock it down,” he said following the Yankees’ series-clinching, 5-4 victory over the Rays in The Bronx. “As I’m trying to get the ball and be as quick as possible, in the corner of my eye I could see the runner and I knew I had enough time. It was a matter of sticking with it. I was able to do that and we got the victory today.”
Gonzalez was called upon in the ninth with Clay Holmes and Ian Hamilton unavailable due to recent heavy workloads.
He had to go through the top of the Rays’ order.
Victor Gonzalez celebrates during the Yankees’ win over the Rays on April 21, 2024. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con After retiring the first two batters, he walked Randy Arozarena, but was able to retire Ramirez.
The southpaw is off to a strong start with the Yankees after spending the first three years of his major league career with the Dodgers.
He’s allowed just one earned run over 8 ¹/₃ innings while giving up just three hits and striking out three.
Early on, he looks like a solid replacement for Wandy Peralta, a lefty who can get out both right-handed and left-handed hitters and be used in several different roles.
“I’m comfortable with Victor in a lot of situations,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s kind of got that slow heartbeat and I trust him a lot. Typically I like to get him in there against lefties, [but] I knew that wasn’t going to be the case just with where we were. Another great job by him.”
