Yankees’ ‘big’ eighth inning in World Series Game 4 did more than ensure a win

The Yankees have played a lot of close games in this postseason, which has taxed their bullpen.

And that has remained true in this World Series, but Tuesday’s Game 4 gave the Yankees bullpen a bit of a reprieve thanks to a five-run eighth inning that turned a 6-4 nail-biter into an 11-4 laugher.

Entering that inning, Yankees closer Luke Weaver had already given New York four outs — on 21 pitches — and, as manager Aaron Boone confirmed after the game, was going to be called upon to close out the ninth if the score remained close.

“[That inning] Allowed me to get Weave out of there. If we were up 2-3 [runs] there I was sticking with him,” Boone said. “The ability to tack on there was big tonight. Was great.”

The scoring in that inning started after Anthony Volpe — who already hit a grand slam earlier in the game — stretched a single into a double with one out. After Austin Wells walked, both the catcher and Volpe stole second and third, respectively, setting up Alex Verdugo.

Verdugo battled RHP Brent Honeywell to an 11-pitch at-bat that resulted in a sharp groundball to a drawn-in Gavin Lux at second. Volpe’s speed and aggressiveness allowed the shortstop to beat the throw home and score the first run of the inning. Volpe, Wells and Verdugo — the Yankees 7-9 hitters on Tuesday — had five of the team’s nine hits and drove in seven of their 11 runs.

But the dagger was Gleyber Torres who took Honeywell deep for a three-run shot that put the game away and allowed Weaver, who up to that point pitched 14 innings and thrown 192 pitches this postseason, to take the rest of the night off and be available for Wednesday’s Game 5.

“The eighth inning was a beautiful one because you just felt like with Dugie’s at-bat it set up the moment,” Weaver said of his team’s performance. “You allow something to happen by putting it in play. Volpe does something again with his speed. And then Gleyber putting a huge swing on.”

“We take Weaver off the game he can pitch tomorrow and it feels good to be a part of something special,” Torres said of his home run

And the Yankees will look to have another special game on Wednesday. No team down 3-0 in the World Series have ever forced a Game 6, and if New York has any chance to do so they’ll need Gerrit Cole to pitch like the ace he is and their offense to continue what they started in Game 4.

Also, having Weaver lurking in the bullpen can only help their chances, and that’s thanks to that big eighth inning.