Luis Severino Gets First Career Hit As Yankees Sweep The Mets
Luis Severino's big night in the finale just wasn't on the mound but also at the plate as he got his first major league hit.
Luis Severino was in terrific form in the Yankees' 7-5 win against the Mets on Thursday night. He shut them out over the first six innings as the Yankees ran the score up to 7-0 by the end of the fourth. "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
The Yankees broadcast team noted that Severino had told his fellow pitchers before the game that he would get a hit so that only added to their amusement. "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
Severino returned the favor with finger guns of his own. "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
Camaraderie aside, Severino had to face the task of running the bases, which can sometimes be an adventure for pitchers. (Just ask John Lackey.) "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
The next batter, Brett Gardner, cracked a double down the left-field line, scoring a pair of runs and sending Severino from first to third. It was a bit of an effort for the pitcher, and he let his teammates know: "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
Next time, Severino should just save himself a breath and hit a homer. Imagine what the dugout would do then! "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
A surprising contributor to the Yankees' offense was Severino himself. He entered the game hitless in four career at-bats, but he caught a break in the top of the fourth. "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
With Tyler Austin and Ronald Torreyes on base and no one out, Severino was asked to move the runners over. He got the job done and more -- as his bunt evaded the diving attempt of first baseman Dominic Smith. Severino beat the throw, giving him his first Major League hit. The dugout went wild: "according to http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/08/17/249109746/luis-severinos-first-career-hit-sends-yankees-dugout-into-frenzy
As for his outing on the mound Luis Severino bounced back from the worst start of his career while Gary Sanchez flexed his muscle by driving in five runs, helping the Yankees complete a four-game sweep of this year's Subway Series with a 7-5 victory over the Mets on Thursday evening at Citi Field. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
One outing after being rocked for a career-high 10 runs (eight earned) by the Red Sox, Severino recaptured the form that has elevated him into the Yanks' ace this season, holding the Mets to an unearned run and four hits over 6 1/3 innings to pick up his fifth victory in six starts. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
"I was ahead in the count almost all the time," said Severino, who is 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break. "I tried to do that. I think the last time, I tried to pitch around the batters. This time, I just went after them." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Steven Matz and added a two-run single in the fourth off Chasen Bradford as the Yankees closed within four games of the idle Red Sox in the American League East chase. The Bombers are scheduled to open a key three-game series in Boston on Friday. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
New York also holds a 3 1/2-game lead over the Angels for the first Wild Card spot in the AL and is four games up on the next contender, Kansas City, which leads a whopping seven teams within three games of a playoff berth. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
"These are really important games for us because the clock is ticking," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "The most important thing is getting the wins, especially this time of year." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
Matz tied a career high with seven runs (six earned) allowed, lasting just 3 1/3 innings and losing his sixth straight decision. Curtis Granderson hit a ninth-inning grand slam of Bryan Mitchell, but Dellin Betances recorded the final three outs for his eighth save. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
This marks the second time that the Yankees have swept a season Subway Series, having also done so with six victories in 2003. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
"At this point in the season, it's all about winning games," Brett Gardner said. "Obviously, when we play the Mets, it's exciting for us as players to experience the Subway Series. It's fun to come over and play here at Citi Field, and I'm happy we played well." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
The Mets fell a season-high 13 games under .500 for the first time since the final day of the 2013 season, when they were 14 under at 74-88. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
"It's frustrating, especially against the Yankees," Mets outfielder Michael Conforto said. "Obviously, we want to beat our rivals and not get swept by them. In our park, it's tough to lose a couple here. But it's over with. All we can do is look forward to tomorrow."
Sanchez had already seen Matz's curveball, sinker, and fastball when the left-hander decided to throw an 83.4-mph changeup on the eighth pitch of their first-inning battle, and Sanchez crushed it a projected 385 feet, according to Statcast™, over the wall in left field. Sanchez has collected six homers and 13 RBIs this month, with five of those homers coming in his last nine games. He tallied 11 homers and 21 RBIs in 24 games last August. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
"I didn't think it was going out," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "I hit it right on the barrel but I was a little off-balance, so I didn't think it was going to go out." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
None of Severino's achievements on the mound have seemed to generate as much genuine enthusiasm as his first big league hit, a bunt popup in the fourth inning that eluded first baseman, Dominic Smith. Severino raised his hands in the air after his soft knock, which loaded the bases with none out to set up Gardner's two-run double and Sanchez's two-run single. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
"A hit is a hit. I'll take it," Severino said, with a laugh. "It was not the hit that I wanted. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
"He was throwing high velocity and he was around the zone. He was throwing literally anything at any time." -- Granderson, on Severino " according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
Granderson now has 95 home runs with the Mets and 115 with the Yankees. He is the only player to hit at least 60 with each team, and is one of three players to appear in 500 or more games for multiple New York teams. Willie Keeler (Yankees, Dodgers) and Bill Dahlen (Dodgers, Giants) are the others, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/249118508/yankees-sweep-mets-in-subway-series/
With the win Yankees improved to 65-55 and are now four games back of American League East leader Boston. Meanwhile, the Mets fall to 53-66 and are now nineteen games back of National League East Leader Washington who has a record of 72-47.
New York will now open up a three-game series with Boston as they travel to Fenway Park starting Friday.
Left-hander Jordan Montgomery will start the opener. He has a record of 7-6 with a 3.94 earn run average. Montgomery will make his second start against the Redsox after holding them to a run on two hits in 5 1/3 innings on Sunday. Montgomery walked three and struck out four in an 84- pitch effort. He will take on Boston left-hander Drew Pomeranz who has a record of 12-4 with a 3.39 earn run average. The left-hander was effective on August 12th, giving up seven hits on three runs over 6/2/3 innings. Pomeranz has given up three earned runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-red-sox/2017/08/18/491921#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491921
First-pitch is set for 7:10 pm. The game will be televised on Yes, Major League Baseball Network and NESN. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-red-sox/2017/08/18/491921#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491921