Headley hits walk off in first game with New York Yankees
By Cory Buck
The New York Yankees wanted a boost when they traded for Chase Headley. They just probably didn’t expect it so early, and in such dramatic fashion. Such is life in the Bronx though. For one day anyways, Headley is a hero thanks to a walk-off single in his first game wearing pinstripes.
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Headley had hardly touched down after a long journey and met his new coaches and teammates before he was called to the plate in the eighth inning. One might have expected a single at-bat from the former Padre when Headley pinch-hit for Zelous Wheeler in the eighth inning. Instead, that at-bat was Headley’s first of four. His fourth? This single in the 14th inning to break the tie for good.
While the Yankees picked up Headley as much for his defense as they did his bat, it was encouraging to see him start so well. Players are often sink-or-swim under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium and the most unlikely of players have thrived under that pressure while some big names have wilted. If the Yankees are going to emerge from a tough, but wide-open AL East, they will need more depth of production from guys like Headley. For one night anyways, it appears they’ve found just that.