From Triple-A to Broadway: Bauers, McKinney power Yankees to series win

NEW YORK -- The International League’s long bus rides with stops at greasy bagged fast food joints and overnight stays in moderately priced hotels lacked glamour, but they also provided Jake Bauers and Billy McKinney with opportunities to dream. They thought about making it back to the Majors, of course, but they also tried to focus each day on where their feet were.

There were no guarantees that either player would receive an opportunity past their service with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which makes their success in pinstripes even sweeter. Bauers and McKinney hit early homers on Wednesday, helping to power the Yankees past the Mariners, 4-2, at Yankee Stadium.

“I think the bond in this clubhouse is pretty strong,” Bauers said. “I think everybody in here has each other’s backs. It’s been good. You enjoy coming in every day; you enjoy spending time with these guys. That helps out a lot.”

Anthony Volpe also hit his 10th homer in the victory, marking the Yankees’ first series win since they took two of three from the Dodgers earlier this month, during which Aaron Judge injured his right big toe making a catch against the right-field wall.

Runs have been in short supply throughout Judge’s absence from the lineup, with New York averaging just 3.2 runs per game coming into Wednesday’s action. That trend seemed likely to continue against Seattle ace Luis Castillo, the dominant right-hander who’d been a Yankees trade target last July.

Bauers connected for a two-run homer in the third inning and McKinney launched a solo shot in the fourth off Castillo. Thirteen of Bauers’ last 18 hits have gone for extra bases (nine doubles and four homers), while McKinney has homered in back-to-back games and is riding a 12-game on-base streak.

“I’m glad we were able to contribute tonight and help the team,” McKinney said. “Jake’s a great player, and he’s been doing it for a while now. It’s fun to watch, and I’m happy for him.”

Added Bauers: “I love to see my guy Billy swinging it well. He’s come up and done a great job for us.”

Since attending Spring Training as non-roster invitees, Bauers and McKinney have proven to be discount finds. Bauers reworked his swing this past offseason, shortening his stroke while focusing on launch angle, while McKinney earned his callup in part by belting nine homers for the RailRiders.

“We talked about enjoying wherever you are,” Bauers said. “If you’re in Triple-A and all you’re thinking about is the big leagues, chances are, you’re not going to be playing well. You’re going to be miserable. Most of the conversations that we did have were more just about how to enjoy whatever’s happening, wherever it’s happening.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Bauers has shown “a little bit of a presence” in the leadoff spot and that McKinney has been having “consistent at-bats, day in and day out.”

“We’ve needed it,” Boone added.

The Bauers and McKinney blasts supported right-hander Jhony Brito, who tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his return from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Brito permitted just two hits, walking one and striking out three.

A 25-year-old rookie who had seen mixed results through his first 10 big league games, Brito said that he was excited by the chance to face Castillo, a two-time All-Star whom the Mariners acquired from the Reds last July. (The Yanks had been interested in Castillo, but they refused to part with Volpe or infielder Oswald Peraza.)

“It was a great opportunity to face a guy like that,” Brito said through an interpreter. “He’s one of the stars of this game. At the same time, I’ve got to go out there and do a job and pitch. It was a good experience.”

Volpe extended the Yanks’ lead in the seventh with a homer off Gabe Speier. He joined Tony Lazzeri (1926) and Alfonso Soriano (2001) as the only Yankees rookies to collect 10 or more homers and 15 or more stolen bases in a season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Seattle’s Dylan Moore hit a pinch-hit homer in the eighth off Wandy Peralta, and Michael King ran into some trouble in the ninth, but Boone called upon Tommy Kahnle to close it out, and the 33-year-old righty recorded his first save of the season and just the sixth of his career.

“We’ve got to take it one day at a time,” McKinney said. “Today is done, and we’ll get back after it tomorrow.”