NEW YORK _ In the most perfect of Yankee worlds, Wednesday night would just be a dress rehearsal for next week. It's then that the Yankees want Luis Severino to strut confidently to the mound and mow down batters as if he's on a level all his own. That's when they want Aaron Judge to drive in the go-ahead runs, and when they wouldn't mind hitting three homers in an inning.
So as far as dress rehearsals go, this 6-1 win over the Rays was pretty gratifying.
Though the Yankees still have an outside shot at the AL East title, every day they don't move up in the standings means they're one step closer to a wild-card game next Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox defeated the Blue Jays, 10-7, to keep the Yankees three games back with four to play.
But though Joe Girardi is no fan of one-game playoffs, even he has to admit the Yankees are as prepared as they could ever be.
On Wednesday, that meant a typical 2017 Severino performance _ which is to say, an excellent one. He allowed one run before Judge's two-run double in the fifth got the Yankees out of a hole and in the lead for good. Starlin Castro, Greg Bird and Aaron Hicks added homers in the sixth.
Girardi would be happier now with the old system, when there was only one wild card and it guaranteed a place in the Division Series, not a potential one-and-done.
"I think the record should be sufficient," Girardi said with a shrug in his voice before the game. "If I was on the other side, maybe I wouldn't say that. It's just adding another game, and I think if you do play that game, you're somewhat at a disadvantage."
It took until the fifth inning for any batter to advance past second base. That's when Adeiny Hechavarria homered on Severino's 1-and-2 slider to kick off the inning. The ball, which landed in the first few rows of the leftfield stands, was the 21st Severino has given up in 32 starts. The righty bounced back quickly, striking out two of the next three to end the inning.
In return, the lineup picked up their ace _ and presumptive wild-card starter _ in the bottom of the inning. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a walk and Hicks singled. One batter later, Judge hit a two-run double to left to plate two, giving the Yankees a much-needed boost (especially considering the Red Sox were walloping the Blue Jays up in Boston at the time).
As for Severino, the solo home run was the only blemish on another strong performance. As the season winds down, Severino's struggles seem like ancient history, or trappings from an alternate universe. He struck out nine, bringing his season total to 230, among the best in baseball. This time last year, he had a 5.75 ERA, with 66 strikeouts in 22 appearances. In likely his final appearance of the regular season, he exited with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.039 WHIP.
Severino departed after six innings, letting up four hits with one walk, and giving way to Chasen Shreve. The Yankees left little room for the possibility of a Rays comeback, thanks to three home runs off two pitchers. Castro kicked off the sixth with a solo shot to left off starter Matt Andriese and, after Andriese was pulled for Xavier Cedeno, Bird did the same, but to right. It was Bird's seventh homer since returning from the disabled list on Aug. 26, a span of 25 games.
Chase Headley singled, Ellsbury grounded out, but Hicks got in on the party, hitting his 14th homer, a no-doubter to left. That provided the final margin.
After Shreve, Chad Green, Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman threw three scoreless innings.
The only way it can be better is if it happens again next week.
