MLB Network | Mark Derosa breakdown Clarke Schmidt and Nestor Cortes lead Yankees blank Cubs 2-0

exact opposite of what they did the last series here the starting pitching has been very good and you haven't really relied on the bullpen set for yesterday so seeing that two-headed monster come through Clark Smith looked fantastic even though I know he wanted to get that win wanted to get through five innings unfortunately he didn't Nester came in dominated it looked like he was lighting the strik on up the first batter or two is thrown a little high settled down and he said you know what I can do this doesn't matter where I pitch Yankees go on and win two nothing I told you about these games they got to win some of these games not necessarily sloppily but getting a ground out getting a runner in maybe an error by the other team it doesn't matter in September find a way to win we also talked on the pregame about them losing their last three Series in terms of winning the first game and then losing the next two not the case today as they win the first two in this series let's get to the Highlights today courtesy of your local Forge sores let's talk pitching in Clark Schmidt trying to channel those emotions first time on the mound since May 26th yeah there were definitely some nerves there a little bit but he did settle down little twoam fast ball in the outer half 94 we're wondering about that speed again 93 again to get the next batter he looked fantastic as the game went on Patrick wisdom going to ground one right back to Schmidt who throws on to First and Anthony Rizzo for the out and then trying to get his way through the bottom of the fif Patrick wisdom Fly ball towards the right field Corner juano going to run it down right by the wall now that is a fair ball and wisdom kind of feeling the ballpark to decides to leg it out for a triple so that was the last batter that Clark Schmidt would face as you said 75 pitches Todd couldn't quite get through that fifth but then in comes Nester Cortez yeah Nester Cortez it was this was probably the toughest inning for the Yankees right here with a run around third gets the pop out that's a pop out to Anthony vulpi there where's it blowing it's blowing in in in Don't Panic got the out there and you see Clark was very happy about that good team player right there and then Aaron Boone deciding new and then he was going to piggy back with guys just rode Nester the whole way yeah and there was a fast ball right down the plate guess what he see it and hit it and they could not hit it then the change up a little Tapper to first base there luckily Cortez was hustling over to get that out of first bottom of the eight he still in there Patrick wisd him up and you said he was just filling up the strik and fools him here with a change up yeah and I think that was his best pitch too he had a couple strike outs on those change UPS and it kept going you'll see the next one here to beton court he he threw two of those back to back made bet Court look really silly looks like a strike and guess what we're going to fall off the table for a strike out Luke Weaver got up on the bullpen just to kind of get loose but then ninth inning ESO Paredes pinch hitting ground ball back to Nester Suzuki will ground out to second on for two and Nester on the verge of four and a third no hit Innings yeah and it was a quick four and a third no hit Innings there he did really well here working fast good pace and then gets the easy ground out two nothing Victory man easy as that not much to say two guys went on the mound and did what they had to do two straight shutouts against the Cubs Clark Schmidt goes four and two3 throws 75 pitches look very good in his return from the IL and then Nester comes out guns a blazing out of the bullpen four and a third he struck out three walk just one took him just 48 pitches to cover that four and a third right after the game Merith morovitz talk to Nester on the field Nester four and a third score list for you for the win what were you doing that allowed you to execute so well yeah I just went out there with the mentality of getting outs uh obviously you know welcome back Clark uh pitch a phenomenal game um and I just went out there filled up the Zone obviously With the Wind coming in I knew that it was hard to hit a homer here today we hit a couple balls that were hit hard for homers and they didn't go out so um just knew how to fill up the zone and get outs it's your first time coming out of the bullpen since July of 2021 how odd did that feel for you how did you prepare yourself yeah I uh I felt like Nessa without a mustache uh coming out today but uh no I mean listen I'm I'm going to do whatever it takes to to to get a win for this team uh whether it's in the start rotation whether it's coming out of the bullpen whatever it is um and I felt good today I felt like I was filling up the Zone a lot and uh it's good to be back in the bullpen for for this outing were you comfortable when you came in in the middle of an inning a little different a little different a little different I met on third obviously with how good Clark pitched today I didn't want to allow that run for him so um I had to had to go go in there and and grind it out and luckily I got got to pop it to their base what did you think of your six7 center fielder leading the double steal there that eventually led to a run yeah I was in I was inside watching on TV and uh you know not only he does he have 5 51 home runs but he can steal bases too was fun to watch Nester congratulations on the win thank you so much Santa back to you Mera thank you so it's Schmidt off the aisle today pitching didn't get the win yester did but Luis heel pitching yesterday and picking up the win he was Fresh Off The is so in this series so far Todd just five hits allowed to the Cubs no runs allowed at 18 strikeouts and I guess a couple things first of all having heel and Schmidt back their first starts doing what they did that's got to be a good sign here down the stretch yeah and I think it helps the hitters too as well so the focal point now was on can they pitch what is going on and the es and flows of the year which people some people kind of not understand what's going on that they're not going to always do this good in certain situations and you see the pctures of doing phenomenal no hit or no runs I should say in two games against a really hot Cubs teams that's looking to get in the Wild Card race for me it's it's just been fun to watch it's been a quicker game the pace has been great there's been no time in between get the ball and I got to give credit to Wells not only is he is he hitting well he's putting down the right signs and he's getting the confidence from his pitching staff yeah really learning that pitching staff pitch sequencing that sort of thing now here's some good news for the Yankees and that's that for example Lis heel said will I pitch anywhere sure but he'd rather start for Nester Cortez who I'm sure would rather start they got to love what they heard today like just put me out wherever you need me I'll do it and today he pitch terrific yeah and I think that's the team guy we're talking about we know he can start we know he can come in relief and he's the veteran guy that's done it before why not let him do it let the younger guy get on the mound get on the bump in the playoffs see what he's got and see what you know Nester can do CU he can always come back he's that type of pitcher so focal point on what these two guys did today was absolutely fantastic yeah Aon Aaron a three-month layoff is is a significant amount of time for a pitcher for anyone really just what stood out to you about the way Clark threw and how sharp he was it's kind of been in line with him coming back you know starting the first live BPS on through his rehab starts you know he's he's in a really good spot physically stuff is excellent uh a couple long at bats the first two hitters of the game um but gets the 3-1 ground ball to get the force out which I thought was big to kind of get him settled in a little bit and then uh he just had a little bit of everything going and he's got the stuff to to go cut you up you look at Luis heel yesterday now Clark being added to the mix today and and pitching well just what leaves you most encouraged when you look at this rotation as a whole moving forward yeah um they're all capable you know that's and and and you know getting two three guys back now with with Ian getting back into the mix you know feel like we're just we're moving the needle to be a little bit better as a complete staff and uh you know we obviously even though we're towards the end we got a long way to go and we got to we got to continue show up and and make sure we're executing every day but when when we do that um we're able to to have games like this on the mound and especially when coming in here against a team that was swinging the bats really well nestor's done it before but hasn't been a reliever since 2021 was there any hesitation at all to bring him in in the middle of an inning no no I I I liked him in that spot um um you know I was I would have given Clark that last uh Beth and court but um the the wisdom of bat was pretty long and I was just like man um I didn't want I didn't want him to go another hitter and get up to 80 80 plus or whatever so um no I was comfortable bringing bringing Nester in and um and obviously he was excellent as well what does that say about him he embraced the role obviously wants to be a starter just like everyone else but the the fact that he not only came out of the bll him but had that much success it's just a testament to being a professional you know I'm sure it wasn't you know he wasn't thrilled about it you know this this turn around um but you still got a job to do and he went out and excelled at it you going batter to batter judge yeah that was that was huge obviously I mean to get us an extra run there um I like that he was aggressive the first pitch there um you know I I I don't think he necessarily expected that obviously he's a little slower to the plate so for him to get the read and the jump right away way was was huge and obviously you know abled us to get another run Aaron were you going batter to batter with Nester in the ninth I was going no once once I made the decision I was going to let him and I figured they might pinch hit for Bush um I was I was going to run him through Bellinger for sure um once he got to Bellinger um I was I was going to go two more hitters with him so um there I I had weave up in case for for uh Herer um but had Bellinger reached there I would have stuck with Nester for another hitter in addition to the uh Steel on a run Wells had two uh crows today I think he's he had five against in the Nationals game he's been really good since then uh have you noticed his throwings getting better um I feel like it's been pretty solid actually all year look th those games that you have where they still it's it's not all about the catcher all the time it's about the matchup that the pitcher the defense the pitch selection like you know it's it's a little easier to run now especially for the guys that can really do it so um I feel like he's made real big improvements on his throwing over the off season he's carried that into this year as well and um you know those were both really good throws but Clark played a role in that too you know um you know mixing up his his looks being fairly quick to home plate pitches to work with we pitched out on the one where we got Pete Crow Armstrong um but I feel like I feel like Austin's just doing a really good job back there and and the throwing those are two really good throws today Aon Boone talking a lot not only about Austin Wells but about the guys he worked with today clerk Schmidt and Esther Cortez and it made me think of something you said ear earlier and that's the fact that by those two pitching the way they did saves the bullpen and you figure with 21 games down the stretch if you can do that a couple times maybe that might set things up really good for the playoffs and it gives everybody a breather too not necessarily even the arms you think a guy like Kay Holmes it gives him a chance to relax a little bit you're winning again put me in and if I'm him I'm thinking put me in those tight situations again but two days off is huge not only for their arms but for their minds too as well especially through the push they're trying to make all right for is is [Applause]