Uber-driver-turned-pitcher for Twins can’t muffle Yankee bats
NEW YORK — Too much traffic for Twins rookie Randy Dobnak.
The feel-good story of the Uber driver-turned-big league pitcher came to a screeching halt Saturday when the New York Yankees tagged him from the get-go in an 8-2 rout, putting Minnesota in a jam in the AL Division Series.
“Nerves were fine,” Dobnak said. “I don’t know what it was.”
A week removed from his in-season wedding in Maryland, and with new bride Aerial in the stands, Dobnak soaked in the mocking, taunting cheers of “Uber, Uber” from the bleacher crowd at Yankee Stadium when he limbered up in the outfield before Game 2.
“I figured that was going to happen,” he said, smiling. In fact, he asked his bullpen catcher: “How many Uber chants are we getting tonight?”
Dobnak looked loose, too, as he hopped over the third base line on the way to the mound. With his Fu Manchu mustache, big glasses and red-shaded shoes, No. 68 certainly stood out before throwing a pitch, even to those who didn’t know his backstory.
Then, the Yankees geared up. Quickly, they drove Dobnak out of the game. “Throttle down,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said later.
DJ LeMahieu sliced a leadoff double against Dobnak, and things didn’t improve much for the 24-year-old righty. He left with bases loaded and no outs in the third, the start of a seven-run burst that made it 8-0.
His totals: two-plus innings, four runs on six hits and two walks without a strikeout. The Yankees didn’t chase his pitches out of the strike zone and swatted what they could reach.
“Every guy can swing it,” he said.
Dobnak, who hadn’t pitched in 10 days, was a surprise choice over All-Star Jake Odorizzi (15-7, 3.51) to throw a day after New York romped 10-4 in the opener. His success at inducing grounders at homer-friendly...