New York Turns To Luis Severino For The Finale In The Bronx As He Looks To Keep Los Angeles At Bay

It's amazing what can happen in one night during the season one game you're behind your American League East rival the next you're leading your rival Boston by half a game. 

That was the case Wednesday when New York beat Los Angeles and Boston lost 6-4 to Kansas City. 

As for New York's last game, they got back in the win column by defeating Los Angeles by a score of 8-4 and stopped their losing streak. 

Didi Gregorius and Matt Holliday homered, Austin Romine collected three hits and closer Aroldis Chapman put an exclamation point on the end of the Yankees' season-high seven-game skid on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, closing out an 8-4 victory over the Angels with a 102.9-mph pitch. The fastball that struck out Eric Young Jr. was the fastest pitch in the Majors this season, according to Statcast™,  "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/237926970/yankees-beat-angels-to-end-losing-streak-at-7/?topicId=27118390

Didi Gregorius put New York on the board with a two-run homer in the second inning and Holliday drilled a solo homer in the fifth off Ricky Nolasco, who was charged with five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. The losing streak was the Yanks' longest since April 2007, but Gregorius said there was no panic in the clubhouse. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/237926970/yankees-beat-angels-to-end-losing-streak-at-7/?topicId=27118390

Shortstop Didi Gregorius had this to say about New York's confidence.  Our confidence level was always up," Gregorius said. "You can't win them all, but you can't lose them all, either. We lost seven in a row, but it shows the team is still together. Nobody tried to be selfish, and today we broke out of it. We played a really good game." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/237926970/yankees-beat-angels-to-end-losing-streak-at-7/

Catcher Austin Romine also got in on New York's offensive affair as he greeted Mike Morin with a two-run double in the sixth, runs charged to Nolasco, whose team has lost 12 of his 15 starts this year. Aaron Hicks, Starlin Castro, and Chase Headley later added RBI singles as the Yankees bounced back from their brutal West Coast trip to inch a half-game ahead of the Red Sox in the division. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/237926970/yankees-beat-angels-to-end-losing-streak-at-7/

Veteran Matt Holliday who is 37 had this to say about their losing streak.  

"I think we've handled it pretty well," Holliday said. "No one has changed the way we've gone about it. Everyone's attitude has been positive. The energy has been good. We've lost a few close games that could have gone our way, but it's good to get back in the win column, headed in the right direction." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/237926970/yankees-beat-angels-to-end-losing-streak-at-7/

New York starter Jordan Montgomery picked up his third victory in four starts, limiting the Angels to Martin Maldonado's two-run homer over 5 2/3 innings. The rookie left-hander scattered five hits and two walks, striking out five in a 97-pitch effort. Chad Green and Dellin Betances pitched effectively in relief. "according to 

Rookie Jordan Montgomery had this to say about his outing. "I wasn't really feeling the weight [of the losing streak], but I definitely wanted to go out there and give the team everything I had," Montgomery said. "The curveball has been good the last couple of starts. I'm starting to figure out how to make it sharper or bigger and look more like my fastball." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/237926970/yankees-beat-angels-to-end-losing-streak-at-7/

New York improved to 39-30 and is now back in first place atop the American League East after their win over Los Angeles while Los Angeles drops to 37-38 on the season.

 Boston is now half a game back of their American League rival New York after losing to Kansas City Wednesday by a score of 6-4. 

New York will turn to Luis Severino for the finale against the Los Angeles Angeles Of Anaheim Thursday.   

Luis Severino has been the Yankees' most consistent starting pitcher this season, leading the team's starters in both ERA (2.99) and WHIP (1.05).

New York will send right-hander Luis Severino to the mound who has a record of 5-2 with a 2.99 earn run average. Severino battled back from a four-run second inning June 16th to finish six innings in Oakland. He allowed just the four runs on four hits and four walks while striking out six. His last loss came back on May 1st. He will go up against Los Angeles right -hander Jesse Chavez who has a record of 5-7 with a 4.85 earn run average. Chavez will make his 14th start of the season. (15th appearance) on Thursday. He pitched seven innings of two -run ball against Kansas City in his latest outing. "according to  https://www.mlb.com/gameday/angels-vs-yankees/2017/06/22/491192#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491192

 New York meanwhile hasn't  recorded a quality start since Masahiro Tanaka completed 6 2/3 innings against the Angels in Anaheim on June 12, which, before an 8-4 win on Wednesday snapped a seven-game losing streak, was also the last day they had won a game.

meanwhile, have posted three quality starts since that day, one of which came from Chavez, who tossed seven innings of two-run ball against the Royals Friday. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

The Yankees' bullpen has had a tough time bridging the gap between the starters, who have completed six innings only three times since June 12, and the back-end duo of Dellin Betances and closer Aroldis Chapman, who was activated from the 10-day disabled list on Sunday. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

Betances entered Wednesday having pitched just three innings since June 12, and manager Joe Girardi said it's difficult to figure out when Betances should be used when the team is behind before the eighth inning. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

At times, Girardi said, he's willing to use Betances to get five or six outs. However, Girardi doesn't want to waste the 6-foot-8 righty when the Yankees are behind and risk his availability to protect a lead the next game. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

"That's the tricky part for me -- making sure we have him on the days that we need him, those games that you're winning," Girardi said. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

Betances worked a spotless eighth inning on Wednesday, striking out a pair and lowering his ERA to 0.40. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

Luis Severino is one of only five qualified starters in MLB with at least a 25 percent whiff rate and a 50 percent ground-ball rate, according to Statcast. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

Luis Severino hasn't thrown fewer than six innings in a start since May 19. according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

 Chavez has completed seven innings and given up two or fewer runs in two of his last four starts. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?game_pk=491192

 Will Luis Severino be able to keep the Los Angeles offense from scoring? Will Los Angeles be able to get their offense going against New York right -hander Luis Severino? Will New York be able to backup Luis Severino's start and give him a chance to win? Will  New York be able to get their offense going against Los Angeles right-hander Jesse Chavez? Will New York still be in first place in the American League East at the end of the night? Will they extend their lead over Boston? 

First pitch is set for 7:05 pm. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/237918130/yanks-trust-severino-to-keep-them-on-track/?topicId=26688732