Each and every win means a great deal in the American League East, maybe even more so this April as the five teams feast upon one another and keep it compact from top to bottom.
Within such a fierce competition, certain victories produce a surplus of positive energy for an organization. When David Robertson secured the Yankees' 4-3 triumph over the Angels Saturday at Yankee Stadium, such a win went onto the docket.
The Yankees prevailed because rookie catcher John Ryan Murphy delivered his first major-league home run, as well as his first multi-hit game (he had two) and multi-RBI game (three). And because pitcher Dellin Betances, no longer a rookie, threw well enough to record his first career win.
Roster depth always proves imperative to survive this division and qualify for the playoffs. The Yankees lacked it last year. They have possessed it so far this young season, surprisingly so, and their much-maligned farm system earned a gold star Saturday.
"Those kids have worked really hard and persevered through the journey to get to contribute in New York," Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees' scouting director, wrote in a text message. "I'm very proud of them and happy for the scouts and coaches who helped them."
Oppenheimer and the Yankees drafted Betances in the eighth round of the 2006 draft, when Joe Torre still managed the big-league club and Bernie Williams still played for the team, and signed him for $1 million. Three years after that, Murphy came aboard in the second round and signed for $1.25 million.
Also in the summer of 2009, Betances underwent Tommy John surgery, the lowest point in a grueling path upward. Last year, frustrated by Betances' continuing struggles, the Yankees converted him from a starter to a reliever, and he made the 2014 club in spring training.
Murphy's road to the majors has been smooth by comparison — he earned the call-up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when backup catcher Francisco Cervelli went on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring — and he put his longtime minor-league teammate in position for his milestone with some early hitting. The 22-year-old came up to bat in the bottom of the second with the Yankees trailing, 1-0, and with the bases loaded and two outs. Angels starting pitcher Hector Santiago balked in Mark Texieira from third base to tie the game at 1-1, and then Murphy punched a two-run single into right field, scoring Brett Gardner and Brian Roberts for a 3-1 Yankees lead.
After the Angels tied the score with two runs in the fourth against starter Vidal Nuno, Murphy slammed a fifth-inning, leadoff, first-pitch homer to left-center against Santiago that gave the Yankees a 4-3 edge.
"I wanted to be aggressive," Murphy said. "Not playing a lot, I want to be aggressive when I do play. That was a good fastball to hit." He got the ball back from the fan who retrieved it in return for three autographed balls, some conversation time and a tour of the Yankees' clubhouse.
"He had a really good day," manager Joe Girardi said of his No. 2 catcher.
Betances was the pitcher of record at that juncture, after relieving Nuno in the top of the fifth with Mike Trout on first base, one out and the reinvigorated Albert Pujols at bat. Following a balk, Betances retired Pujols on a grounder to shortstop and Howie Kendrick on a pop fly to Roberts, then picked up three more outs before Shawn Kelley, Matt Thornton and Robertson finished the work shift.
"It feels good," Betances said. "I believe in myself."
"I'm happy for the kid. He's been through a lot," Girardi said. "He's had to change roles. He's had to fight to get here. He's thrown the ball extremely well for us. Probably today was the toughest situation we put him in so far. And he responded extremely well."
Throw in Nuno keeping the Yankees in the game, and it marked a good day for organizational depth. Throw in Robertson's save, and it served as a model day for the club's drafting and development.
No one would deny the Yankees' farm system experienced an absolutely brutal 2013, and that contributed significantly to the major-league team's October respite. Saturday marked just one day, just one win.
Nevertheless, in a season that has felt like a fresh start for this organization, it felt, quite simply, like a day that never would have worked out last year. And an encouraging sign things can work out differently this year.
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