NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole wagged a finger 15 times at Mariners manager Scott Servais and threw a pitch to Jose Caballero that landed high up on the backstop.
Cole's message was clear: Don't mess with me. «Sometimes a high fastball can be a really effective pitch. Got to change eye level,» the New York Yankees ace deadpanned after a 3-1 win over Seattle on Tuesday night that stopped a four-game losing streak.
Boosted by Anthony Rizzo's RBI double in the first inning and Billy McKinney's two-run homer in the second, New York improved to 7-0 when Cole pitches after a Yankees loss.
Cole is 4-0 with a 1.87 ERA in those starts. His 0-2 pitch to Caballero was as clear as an all-uppercase tweet. «I think that raised their antenna,» Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.