If they are called they will serve.
That was the message from two of the three members of the Holy Trinity of Smoke late Saturday afternoon after they helped the Yankees squeeze by the Twins, 2-1, in front of 40,075 at a sun-drenched Yankee Stadium.
Believing that day’s game is the most important, manager Joe Girardi called on the gas-throwing trio of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman for a second straight tilt and the third time in four days.
“You have to win today, tomorrow doesn’t mean anything. It does now if you look forward to it, but obviously you have to win today,’’ Girardi said after the Yankees’ third straight victory put them a game over .500 at 37-36.
With a trio of Cubs scouts watching the Holy Trinity of Smoke for a second consecutive game, they didn’t disappoint. Betances took over for an effective Michael Pineda to start the seventh with the score tied, 1-1, and retired all three batters. Andrew Miller worked the eighth and fanned two of three hitters. Chapman, who fired six fastballs at 103 mph Friday night, didn’t push the speed gun that high but recorded the final three outs and left the potential tying run on first in the ninth, when he punched out Brian Dozier with an 0-2 fastball clocked at 100 mph. It was Chapman’s 15th save in 16 chances.
Girardi has used Betances, Miller and Chapman in a dozen games, and the Yankees are undefeated in them.
Sunday, when the Yankees go for the sweep against the Twins (23-51), it is likely Girardi will want to avoid using all of the parts belonging to the best late-game bullpen in baseball.
Two of the three stated they would be available Sunday.
“I feel good. It’s Joe’s decision,’’ said Betances, who threw nine pitches (all strikes) after throwing 10 Friday night. “I will wake up and see how I feel. I didn’t throw too many pitches. I can pitch.’’
Chapman gave up a two-out single to Joe Mauer in the ninth and finished with 11 pitches for the second consecutive game.
“Mentally and physically I will be ready,’’ Chapman said of Sunday. “That’s my job, to be ready to pitch. On the other hand the decision belongs to the manager, and I respect his decision. It’s his decision if he wants to give me a day off. If not I will be ready to pitch.’’
With Pineda at 94 pitches after six innings — during which he gave up a run, two hits, one walk and fanned eight — Girardi could have gone in a different direction than Betances in the seventh with the score tied, 1-1. Yet, that he did signifies how important getting a win is these days for the Yankees, who are desperately trying to stay relevant in the AL East.
Dozier’s leadoff homer in the second was negated by Carlos Beltran’s two-out RBI single in the fifth off Ervin Santana. Alex Rodriguez opened the eighth with an infield single toward third and was replaced by pinch-runner Aaron Hicks. Brian McCann followed with a single to right that chased Hicks to third. Mark Teixeira struck out in front of Starlin Castro’s smash to shortstop Eduardo Escobar for what should have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, for the second time in three innings, Escobar botched a play and Hicks scored.
That meant all that was left for a third straight win was for Chapman to get three outs.
“It’s crazy, every time they come in we expect them to be perfect,’’ Beltran said of the trio who are on the right end of what is nothing close to a fair fight these days.