The Yankees didn’t exactly “step on necks” as the colorful Jazz Chisholm Jr. recently promised they’d do. But Jazz did save their necks, that’s for sure. 

One day after he was obviously and visibly upset over being benched, Chisholm helped the Yankees survive another day — barely — with a wild sprint around the bases. 

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Chisholm, the least buttoned-up guy on the most buttoned-down team, may not be the best Yankee (otherwise he wouldn’t sit against tough lefties), but he showed he’s needed. With a beautiful headfirst slide, Jazz easily beat Red Sox right fielder Nate Eaton’s throw home to score from first base on Austin Wells’ single. Wells’ ball hit by the right field line and trickled toward the corner, but Eaton cut it off before it reached the back wall, and the race was on. 

Third base coach Luis Rojas was waving Chisholm in. Maybe Rojas just had faith, or maybe he understood there was no stopping Jazz, anyway.