Masahiro Tanaka To Start Game 3 Of The ALDS In The Bronx To Try To Keep New York's Season Alive

Home sweet home is where it is at for Masahiro Tanaka as he has pitched better at Yankee Stadium in 2017 than on the road.

His earn run average is 3.22 in the Bronx opposed to 6.22 away from Yankee Stadium.

The Japanese right -hander   will start game three in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium against Cleveland where he will look to keep New York's season alive after a bad turn of events in game two which resulted in a 9-8 win for Cleveland that gave them a 2-0 series lead.

Where do we go from the draining drama of all that Game 2 tumult? Where do the Indians go after a win for the ages? Where do the Yankees go now that they've had their hearts ripped out? "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

We go to the Bronx. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

Yankee Stadium is the site for tonight's Game 3 of the American League Division Series presented by Doosan (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1), and it's the place where the Yankees, who had the best home record in the AL this year, will look to salvage this series after one of the most depleting postseason defeats of recent memory. The Yanks had Game 2 in hand after crushing Corey Kluber, but their 8-3 lead and chance to steal the home-field edge from the clutches of the Tribe were wiped away by a stunning, stirring Cleveland comeback. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

So this will go one of two ways: Either the Yankees are about to get up off the mat with a remarkable uprising of their own, or the Indians are going to ride the momentum from their memorably magical Friday night into the AL Championship Series presented by Camping World. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

"They're playing well. They're a great team," Yanks reliever Dellin Betances said of the Tribe. "They went to the World Series last year. They were up 3-1, so hopefully we can win three games like the Cubs did. I like our chances." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

One X-factor that ought not go unnoticed, even after Cleveland's wild win, is Edwin Encarnacion's sprained right ankle. It took a terrible turn when Encarnacion jammed his foot on the second-base bag while trying to avoid being doubled up in the first inning. Encarnacion left Progressive Field on crutches and received an MRI. His status remains day to day, but the Indians are generally optimistic about his condition. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

"I don't know if remarkably better is a good word, but pretty close," Tribe manager Terry Francona said on Saturday. "He's doing much better. I don't think he's going to start [tonight], but he's not been ruled out, either. So we'll take our time and allow him to continue to get treatment. But if he's that close to being available, that's a really good sign. So we're obviously not going to do anything roster-wise." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

Michael Brantley has worked himself back from a right ankle sprain of his own and can slide right into DH duties if need be. Brantley tallied just three plate appearances in the final eight weeks of the regular season, and he went 0-for-5 in Encarnacion's stead in Game 2. Francona was hoping to give Brantley the start in left field tonight even before Encarnacion's injury, anyway. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

Whether or not the Indians' lineup is compromised, the Yankees are in obvious need of a strong start from Masahiro Tanaka. Their bullpen needed to get 26 outs in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday night. Between Sonny Gray's short start in Game 1 and the marathon that developed in Game 2, there were another 34 outs. The off-day between Games 2 and 3 helps, but there has already been a lot of exposure for that deep unit. David Robertson has pitched five innings, and Betances has delivered four. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

The Yanks can only hope they can turn to that bullpen with a lead tonight. The challenge there is Carlos Carrasco, a "Game 3 starter" only because of the depth of this Tribe team. Carrasco is coming off his first 200-inning season, in which he had an adjusted ERA+ 39 percent better than league average with a Major League-high 18 wins and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

"He's really taken off the last few years," Indians reliever Andrew Miller said of his teammate. "His stuff is second to none." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

And Carrasco's stuff was better on the road (2.65 ERA and .210/.266/.336 opponents' slash) than at home (3.99 and .263/.310/.441) this year, which is one reason the Indians opted for this arrangement. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

The Yankees were equally sensible with the splits. Tanaka posted a 6.48 ERA in 15 road starts but a 3.22 mark in 15 home starts. New York is banking on his second-half improvements (3.77 ERA) revealing themselves on this big stage in his first postseason start since the 2015 AL Wild Card Game loss to the Astros. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

"This is a team that's going to grind out at-bats," manager Joe Girardi said, "and he needs to grind out at-bats with them." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

As in 2015, the Yankees need to treat this game like a one-and-done. It's time to pull out all the stops and make a stop. Only 14.3 percent (seven of 49) of teams that have fallen into an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five Division Series have gone on to win it. Can the Yanks work their way back into this? "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

"It's going to be a tough fight," CC Sabathia said. "But we can." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

If they can do it anywhere, it's in the Bronx. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/257720940/yanks-in-danger-of-sweep-vs-tribe/?topicId=26688732

How does New York get themselves back in the series and not get eliminated?

In Masahiro Tanaka's last outing of the regular season he struckout fifteen batters. Can he do it again in this game against Cleveland and keep New York's season alive? Will the New York offense be able to get it going against Carlos Carrasco?  Will Cleveland get their offense going against Masahiro Tanaka and win the series?

First pitch is set for 7:30pm Sunday. The game will be televised on FS1. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/indians-vs-yankees/2017/10/08/526479#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=526479