Masahiro Tanaka Struggles As Boston Tightens The American League East Race
Is 2017 just not Masahiro Tanaka's year? It hasn't been as of late and his struggles continued Tuesday as Boston visited the Bronx for the first time this season for the first game of a three game series. Does he need time away to clear his head and find consistancy again ?
Mitch Moreland and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs while Andrew Benintendi also went deep to continue Masahiro Tanaka's baffling slide as Boston defeated New York by a score of 5-4. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/234723694/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-in-win-vs-yankees/
Moreland and Ramirez hit their homers in the fourth and Benintendi went deep in the fifth off Tanaka, who generated just three swings and misses in his 62 pitches, surrendering five runs in five innings. Tanaka has lost each of his last five starts while allowing 27 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings (10.72 ERA).
With the rivals meeting for just the third time this season, Boston's big bats helped them 32-25) close within one game of the division-leading Yankees (32-23), the closest they have been to first place since the beginning of play on April 21. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/234723694/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-in-win-vs-yankees/
Boston center fielder Jackie Bradley Junior had this to say about the American League East race. I think we all note the standings," said Red Sox center fielder "We all know that it all shakes out as the season goes on, and I think we should start paying more attention to it at the very end." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/234723694/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-in-win-vs-yankees/
Moreland and Ramirez hit their homers in the fourth and Benintendi went deep in the fifth off Tanaka, who generated just three swings and misses in his 62 pitches, surrendering five runs in five innings. Tanaka has lost each of his last five starts while allowing 27 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings (10.72 ERA). "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/234723694/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-in-win-vs-yankees/
Meanwhile, right -hander Masahiro Tanaka had this to say about his outing. "I have been inconsistent. Obviously, I'm trying to fix that," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "As for today, I think I made some good pitches and bad pitches in the game. The bad ones, I think I missed. They were crucial mistakes and they went right down the middle." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/234723694/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-in-win-vs-yankees/
Boston guided Drew Pomeranz through five innings despite a season-high 123 pitches.Chris Carter hit a fifth-inning homer off Pomeranz, who picked up his first career victory over the Yankees after permitting two runs (one earned) and six hits. New York closed within a run in the eighth as a Craig Kimbrel wild pitch on a third strike with two outs allowed Matt Holliday to score from third base. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/234723694/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-in-win-vs-yankees/
Kimbrel struck out Carter to end the eighth, then struck out the side in the ninth, ending the performance with three straight heaters of 99 mph or above against Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. The dominant righty (1.01 ERA, 17-for-18 in save opportunities) became the first pitcher in history to have a five-strikeout, four-out save. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/234723694/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-in-win-vs-yankees/
New York drops to 32-23 while the season while Boston improves to 31-25 and now is one game back of New York in the standings.
New York and Boston will play game two of three tonight when veteran left-hander CC Sabathia takes on Boston right- hander Rick Porcello. CC Sabathia has a record of 6-2 with a 4.12 earn run average. Thanks to a renewed cutter that he busts inside on right -handers to open up the outside of the plate, Sabathia has won four straight starts. limiting opponents to a 1.48 earn run average over that span. He will be facing Boston for the first time this year. He will go up against Boston right -hander Rick Porcello who has a record of 3-7 with a 4.24 earn run average. In his last outing the right -hander gave up two solo homers in the first inning against Baltimore but settled down to have a quality start, allowing three -runs over six innings in a loss. Porcello has a record of 1-3 with a 4.78 earn run average in five career starts at Yankee Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm. The game will be televised on the Major League Baseball Network "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/red-sox-vs-yankees/2017/06/07/490979#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=490979