Week’s Sequence: Clay Holmes strikes out Mookie Betts to secure a…

Whether justified or not, Clay Holmes splits the fan base’s opinions. With the third-most saves (19) in MLB, a 1.80 ERA, and a league-leading 69.4% ground ball rate, he mostly performs as expected. However, as demonstrated yesterday, his relative lack of strikeout and swing-and-miss stuff leaves him vulnerable to the unpredictable nature of the balls in play and the occasional botched save. But on Sunday against the Dodgers, Holmes was able to get to that swing-and-miss stuff when he needed it most. After being outplayed by the Dodgers in the opening two games of the series, the Yankees went into the night in danger of losing their home series for the first time since last August. However, with

In the top of the ninth, we join Holmes with two on and two out. Holmes let up two two-out singles to the eighth and ninth batters in the inning after retiring the first two batters. This not only allowed the tying run to reach first base, but also gave the dangerous Mookie Betts a chance to bat first. Holmes shows no mercy as he launches Betts with a 98 mph sinker for a called strike at the lower boundary of the zone.

This pitch is wicked; it begins in the batter’s box across from you and runs 17 inches arm-side to clip the bottom of the zone. Betts is unable to accomplish anything with this pitch. If he swings, the ball will either land in the dirt in front of home plate on a grounder or a whiff over the top. For a called strike, Holmes has established a presence on the outside corner low-and-away. Compared to a sinker that starts too far outside to tail back and catch any of..