ANAHEIM -- Brett Gardner could fill a book with what he has experienced over his 14 years wearing a Yankees uniform, and perhaps one day he will. To the longest-tenured player in the organization, 2021 has presented a roller-coaster ride unlike any before it.

¡°I don't know that I've seen a season of such extremes, the way that our team has played over the course of the last five months,¡± Gardner said. ¡°Almost every day, something comes up that I think to myself, ¡®Man, I¡¯ve never seen that before.¡¯ So you¡¯ve just got to roll with the punches.¡±

The Yankees followed a 13-game winning streak by dropping four consecutive contests to the A's and Angels entering Wednesday¡¯s series finale in Anaheim. Gardner said the stretch was particularly rough because the Yanks felt they had opportunities to win each of the four games.

¡°It¡¯s been taxing, it¡¯s been frustrating, but that's what this game does,¡± Gardner said. ¡°It will beat you up if you let it. I think we've got a good, resilient group that is able to handle adversity really well, and we'll see how we play this last month.¡±

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Wednesday that he senses some players in the clubhouse are ¡°a little ticked off that we haven¡¯t continued to roll.¡±

¡°But I also feel like, personnel-wise, where we are as a team in our preparation -- I feel like we¡¯re in a good spot to go have a really good month right now,¡± Boone said. ¡°That really hasn¡¯t changed.¡±

Gardner said that the Yankees are looking forward to returning home. After Wednesday, they are scheduled to play 17 of their next 20 games within New York¡¯s city limits, including a three-game series against the Mets at Citi Field from Sept. 10-12.

¡°As well as we¡¯ve played here these last few weeks, it has been a tough stretch,¡± Gardner said. ¡°It'll be nice to go back home and play in front of our home fans. We'll be looking forward to that.¡±

Going for the gold
For the sixth consecutive year, MLB and its clubs raised awareness for childhood cancer in a special league-wide ¡°Childhood Cancer Awareness Day," held in collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). All on-field personnel, including players, managers, coaches, and umpires, wore gold-ribbon decals and wristbands during Wednesday¡¯s games.

Bombers bits
? The Yankees recalled outfielder Estevan Florial and right-hander Brooks Kriske from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday as rosters expanded from 26 players to 28. Both were traveling with the club on its taxi squad.

? Gleyber Torres remains on track to be activated on Friday, when the Yankees open a weekend series against the Orioles. Torres is scheduled to play in a Minor League rehab game for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.

? Right-hander Luis Gil could return to the big leagues to start a game during the Yanks' span of 20 games without an off-day, Boone said. Gil is currently at Triple-A.

This date in Yankees history
Sept. 1, 1961: Three consecutive two-out ninth-inning singles by Elston Howard? Yogi Berra and Bill Skowron gave the Yanks a 1-0 win over the Tigers at Yankee Stadium. Whitey Ford, Bud Daley and Luis Arroyo combined for the shutout.