Brian McCann’s first season in The Bronx has not gone according to plan, for him or the Yankees.
Sunday’s game-winning, pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the 10th inning of the Yankees 7-4 victory over the White Sox may help change that.
“It was special,” McCann said. “Rounding the bases, that was a moment I’ll never forget.”
The blast gave the Yankees a sweep of Chicago and their fourth straight win as they head out on a crucial seven-game road trip that takes them to Kansas City, Detroit and Toronto.
And it allowed them to put aside the two dreadful losses to the Astros that started the homestand.
“We’re chasing those teams and we need to win,” Joe Girardi said of the upcoming trip.
After falling behind 3-0 with Chris Sale (10-3) on the mound for Chicago, the Yankees didn’t look like a team ready to finish strong.
But they rallied for four unearned runs in the sixth to take the lead. It started with a two-base error by White Sox left fielder Dayan Viciedo on Martin Prado’s fly ball with one out. Mark Teixeira followed with an RBI double. After a walk by Carlos Beltran, Chase Headley struck out and Francisco Cervelli walked, bringing up Zelous Wheeler with the bases loaded.
Sale hit Wheeler with his first pitch to make it 3-2 and Ichiro Suzuki gave the Yankees the lead with a two-run single.
Chris Capuano left after six innings and the Yankees seemed poised for a win when David Robertson entered in the ninth, but he surrendered a leadoff homer to Avisail Garcia to tie the game. It was Robertson’s first blown save since June 1.
In the bottom of the inning, Derek Jeter ended a threat by hitting into a double play.
David Huff (3-1) pitched a scoreless 10th, but had to face Jose Abreu with runners on first and second. He struck him out looking on four pitches.
“I was trying to throw balls,” Huff said of his approach to the dangerous Abreu. “They just happened to go over the corner.”
Prado and Teixeira struck out to start the bottom of the 10th before Carlos Beltran doubled and Headley was walked intentionally, bringing up McCann to hit for Cervelli.
McCann turned on a 3-2 pitch and pumped his fists as he rounded the bases.
“I was fired up,” McCann said.
So was the rest of the team.
“I think we’re starting to believe a little bit,” said Adam Warren, who pitched a scoreless eighth. “We keep saying we need to go on a run if we’re gonna make the playoffs. We’re kind of hoping this is the run.”
A productive McCann would help. And he insisted again the comments that Braves coach Terry Pendleton made to The Post about the catcher not being comfortable in New York weren’t true.
“He’s one of my close friends, a great coach I’ve been able to come in contact with throughout my career,” McCann said. “I just disagree with what he said. I think if he had it to do all over again he wouldn’t have said anything. I like everything about [being with the Yankees].”
Especially when the team is winning, which is why he still isn’t worried about the Yankees’ place in the standings. They remain 3 ½ games back of Seattle for the second wild-card spot.
“There’s just so much time left,” McCann said. “We’ve got to focus on us. We’ve just got to win. We’re not really worried about what others teams are doing. It starts in here.”