Josh Donaldson Delivers Killer Blow As New York Yankees Win In Extra Innings In Opening Day Encounter With Boston Red Sox

The New York Yankees have started their campaign in style. In a marathon game stretching 11 innings on Opening Day, the Yankees managed to do what many thought was improbable. They beat the Boston Red Sox in Yankee Stadium to start off their season in style. Very few gave the Yankees a chance to capture the win and maybe even fewer did considering the way the game began, but every game of baseball is 9 innings. And the Yankees made a comeback with only 2 extra innings required.

The game may have started off inauspiciously for the New York Yankees with them conceding a 3 run lead early in the game, however, they were never truly out of the game. Despite star pitcher Gerrit Cole leaving the mound amid jeers from the Bronx, the pitching rotation came to the Yankees’ rescue as the game drew on. And the offense clicked into place with newcomer Josh Donaldson having the final laugh. Donaldson iced the game to win it for the Yankees on a 6-5 scoreline.

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Josh Donaldson walks-off winner at the bottom of the 11th innings

Josh Donaldson, maybe a newcomer at New York Yankees, but if he continues on the trajectory he has started in his first game, he could well be a favorite in the Bronx. And coming good with a clutch hit on the opening day surely doesn’t hurt with the fans either.

With the third baseman taking the diamond after a late trade from the Minnesota Twins, fans may finally have some solace in the infielder’s offensive contribution. Despite the game going into the 11th innings, it was a cagey affair through and through. The Yankees trailed thrice in the game but came good at the end to take home the victory to start their season in the best possible way.

New York Yankees star in a comeback win

Despite trailing thrice in the game, the Yankees fought back for a hard-earned win. With home runs coming from Anthony Rizzo in the 1st, Giancarlo Stanton in the 4th, and DJ LeMahieu in the bottom of the 8th earlier in the game, the Yankees offense seems to be taking good shape.

Donaldson struck a clutch hit like threading a needle through two infielders at the bottom of the 11th to bring Kiner-Falefa home from 2nd base and to register his 12th career walk off home run. This is also significant in the Yankees’ record books as it marks only the 6th instance of a walk-off win on opening day for the franchise. The last time something like this happened? It was 1957.

In doing so, he became the first player since Chase Headley in 2014 to register a walk-off home run for the New York Yankees on debut. Asked his thoughts on the Yankees for the season ahead, Donaldson seemed quite clear. Said Donaldson, “It means that we’re resilient and we’re a good ball-club. We went out there, played hard and you know got the job done today.”

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But what do you think? Was this win just a flash in a pan? Or are the New York Yankees really building something that can take them far this season?