CINCINNATI — When Kyle Hendricks swung through Chasen Shreve’s split-finger fastball in the dirt at 1:13 a.m. Central on Monday, the Yankees were relieved to have survived the 18 innings and 6 hours 5 minutes that were required for a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
But for Ben Tuliebitz, the action was just beginning.
Tuliebitz, the Yankees’ traveling secretary, knew what virtually nobody else with the team did: If the Yankees’ charter flight waiting at O’Hare International Airport was not loaded with 60 players, coaches, staff and broadcasting crew — along with a truckload of equipment — and in the air in 2 hours 9 minutes, he had no idea how they would get to Cincinnati for Monday’s game.