ANAHEIM, Calif. — The smile on Jonathan Holder’s face told you everything about what the Yankees accomplished Monday night at Angel Stadium.
As the reliever walked from the first base dugout to the Yankees’ clubhouse with bullpen coach Mike Harkey, the ear-to-ear grin lit up the dark hallway.
Holder, who had been struggling, was the winning pitcher in a 4-3 victory over the Angels in front of 35,403 that took 4 hours and 35 minutes and 14 innings to complete. The victory started a nine-game, three-city Western trip.
Holder threw the final two innings and struck out Mike Trout looking at a 3-2 pitch to start the final frame and then retired Andrelton Simmons and Albert Pujols. Holder then worked a clean 14th and ended the long night by striking out pitcher Trevor Cahill.
Yet there was a lot more to smile about the (12-10) Yankees’ fourth straight victory and sixth in seven games.
“Long game [Sunday], long game today, but our guys did a great job and it was fun to watch,’’ Holder said.
Aroldis Chapman entered the game in the 12th with a one-run lead and blew his first save of the season in four tries. Then in a very bizarre top of the 14th, the Yankees struck out four times but scored a run that won the game. Not only did an Angel pitcher hit, outfielder Peter Bourjos played second base for the first time as a professional.
“When we look back on this one, it will be a nice steppingstone, that’s for sure,’’ said J.A. Happ, who gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings.
With the amount of injuries and the pedigree of the players on the injured list, the Yankees have more than held their own lately because of players such as Gio Urshela.
Considered a good-glove, no-hit third baseman, Urshela broke a 2-2 tie in the 12th with a sacrifice fly and his two-out single to right plated Gleyber Torres, who reached first on catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s throwing error after Torres had struck out swinging and the ball got away from Lucroy in the 14th.
“We were always focused and never put our head down,’’ said Urshela, who robbed Zack Cozart of a hit leading off the eighth inning against Adam Ottavino and is hitting .297 in 14 games as Miguel Andujar’s replacement.
“Finding a way right now. It’s not easy for us by any means but the guys have been finding a way,’’ Aaron Boone said of his wounded club. “We did a lot of things really well tonight. Tonight we struggled a little at the plate, obviously. A lot of big outings from pitchers and we caught the ball well. Really happy with the way guys are competing and getting after it right now.’’
From Urshela’s two-out single in the fourth until Clint Frazier’s leadoff double in the 12th, the Yankees went 0-for-22 and the lone baserunner was Brett Gardner, who reached on a walk in the eighth inning.
Frazier hurt his left ankle getting back to second on a pickoff attempt in the 12th and needed it to be taped in the dugout. Frazier also walked to the dugout with a noticeable limp after striking out in the 14th and said the area was sore after the game.
So will Frazier, who took Giancarlo Stanton’s place, be the next Yankee to miss time with an injury?
“I went through too much last year not to be out there,’’ said Frazier, who was limited to 15 big-league games a year ago due to a concussion.