Jordan Montgomery Gets The Start For New York As They Take On Danny Salazar, Cleveland
After having two debuts in the first two games of this four game set with Cleveland in Sonny Gray who was traded for Monday with Oakland and Jaime Garcia being traded from Atlanta to Minnesota and then to New York who made his debut Friday we finally get to a familiar face who was drafted by New York in fourth round in 2014 and came up through their minor league system in Jordan Montgomery who will start game three against Cleveland.
A righty-vs.-lefty pitching matchup will open the third game of four between the Yankees and Indians, as Cleveland's Danny Salazar and New York's Jordan Montgomery will take the mound at Progressive Field on Saturday night. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
Salazar (4-5, 4.63 ERA) will look to continue his hot stretch since coming off the 10-day disabled list on July 22 from a right shoulder injury. In two starts since returning from the DL, the right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings. Opponents hit .095/.136/.167 against him, as he only allowed four hits, two runs -- including a home run -- and two walks. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
In his latest outing, July 28 against the White Sox, Salazar picked up the victory after going six innings and allowing two runs on three hits with eight punchouts. Salazar's strong return to the rotation influenced how the Indians approached the non-waiver Trade Deadline, helping convince them to shift focus to a reliever -- they acquired right-hander Joe Smith from Toronto. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
"I'm focused on my job and on my routine," Salazar said after his last start. "I'm trying to do the same thing every single day and trying to stay healthy, and stay strong so I can do my job out there. And so that way, we don't need to bring anybody else." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
For the Yankees, Montgomery (7-6, 4.15) will make his first career start vs. Cleveland. With New York using a six-man starting rotation that will likely dwindle down to five soon, the rookie left-hander could be pitching for his spot. He struggled in his last turn, allowing four runs, six hits, and two walks in 2 2/3 innings against the Rays on Sunday." according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
Montgomery has thrown his curveball more than any other pitch this season, and he has had success doing so. Per Statcast, he has thrown the pitch 454 times and has held opponents to a .202 average against it. He has recorded 83 whiffs, 108 called strikes and 44 strikeouts with the hook. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
In his last start, Salazar generated a season-high 23 swinging strikes, per Statcast. The only Indians pitcher to record more whiffs in a single game this season was Corey Kluber on June 1. Nine of Salazar's swinging strikes came via his changeup. Salazar also registered five whiffs with both his four-seamer and slider and two swing-and-misses each with his curveball and two-seamer. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
In three career starts (17 2/3 innings) against the Yankees, Salazar is 1-1 with a 5.60 ERA and 19 strikeouts. Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury have both found success against Salazar. Gardner is 3-for-8 (.375) with a homer, a double, two walks and two RBIs vs. Salazar, while Ellsbury has gone 2-for-6 (.333) with two singles and an RBI. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246362830/salazar-surging-into-matchup-with-yankees/?game_pk=491745
As for their last game,
What is going on with New York lately?
Their struggles continued in their second straight loss with a second straight newly acquired pitcher in left-hander Jaime Garcia making his debut for New York who was acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline.
Behind Trevor Bauer's strong performance, the Indians took advantage of several defensive miscues to spoil Jaime Garcia's Yankees debut on Friday night at Progressive Field. The end result was a 7-2 victory for Cleveland, extending its home winning streak to nine games." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
Bauer picked up his 10th win after allowing one run, seven hits, and two walks while striking out seven in seven solid innings. He has won his past three starts, posting a 2.25 ERA in 20 innings." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
Early on, he didn't have the strikeouts, and he didn't let it get in the way of the game," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He was efficient early, and then he started, as he can do, he gets into the game and he finds his pitches and his rhythm and he started getting his strikeouts. But he didn't let it bother him early, which was good." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
The Indians took a 3 1/2-game lead in the American League Central, combined with the Royals' 5-2 loss to the Mariners, while the Yankees dipped to three back of the Red Sox in the AL East and stayed 1 1/2 games up for one of the two AL Wild Card spots." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
The only run New York scored off Bauer came on a homer from third baseman Todd Frazier. The Yankees added a run in the ninth off Indians reliever Bryan Shaw on Brett Gardner's RBI single to center. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
Acquired from the Twins via trade on Sunday, Garcia was seeking better results in his first start with the Yankees. The left-hander took the loss after surrendering six runs (five earned), five hits and four walks with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. It came a night after defensive miscues also proved costly in Sonny Gray's Yankees debut." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
"[Garcia] was up in the zone," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He didn't throw as many strikes with his fastball as he usually does. This is a guy that's pitched for three different teams in three different starts and been all over the country. He looked rusty to me." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
Edwin Encarnacion drove in two runs for the Tribe with a RBI double and sacrifice fly, and Austin Jackson and Michael Brantley each contributed RBI knocks. The Indians scored a run on a wild pitch from Garcia, a passed ball by catcher Gary Sanchez and a throwing error from right fielder Aaron Judge." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
"I feel good behind the plate, but there have definitely been a couple of situations there where I haven't been able to catch the ball," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "It has cost us runs. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
After Garcia set down the first two hitters in the second, he issued a walk to Carlos Santana that would prove costly. The next batter, Jackson, hit a grounder past a diving Frazier and into the left-field corner. Santana came all the way around from first to score on the double with a headfirst slide into home. Jackson -- who advanced to third on the throw to the plate -- later crossed the dish on the passed ball by Sanchez to make it a 2-0 game." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
"When we're not playing down, you can be aggressive and you can see what can happen," Francona said of the Tribe's baserunning. "When you're aggressive and you're intelligent to boot, it really helps us win games." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
With one down and runners at the corners in the fifth, Clint Frazier swung at a first-pitch cutter from Bauer and hit a high chopper to the left side of the infield toward Giovanny Urshela. The Tribe's third baseman leaped high to snag the chopper and made a jumping, across-the-body throw to the plate where catcher Roberto Perez tagged out Ronald Torreyes. This would prove to be a huge play in the inning, as Bauer later escaped the frame with a bases-loaded strikeout of Sanchez." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
"I don't think it's an overstatement to say that's potentially a game saver," Francona said of Urshela's play. "That was an inning that Trev ended up throwing about 30 pitches, gave up one, had to pitch out of the bases loaded [and] got the strikeout. But without that play, you don't know. That was an incredible play." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
"The hardest part on that play at home, I had no angle to the home plate," Urshela said. "With the runner, I had to throw him. Thank God that was a smaller runner. I was able to make the play." accordinghttp://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246477324/indians-beat-yankees-behind-trevor-bauer/
New York drops to 57-51 and is now three games back in second place behind their American League East rival Boston who is leading the division with a record of 61-49. Meanwhile, Cleveland who is leading the American League Central improves to 59-48 on the season.
New York and Cleveland will play game three of their four game set Saturday. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery who has a record of 7-6 with a 4.15 earn run average will get the start for New York. Montgomery's start in the rotation could be in jeopardy when the Yankees go to a five man staff. The 24- year -old rookie lasted a career -low 2 2/3 innings in his last start against the Rays allowing four runs and six hits. He will go up against Cleveland right -hander Danny Salazar who has a record of 4-5 with a 4.63 earn run average. Salazar went six frames allowed two runs and struck out eight in his last start. In two outings since coming off the disabled list on July 2, he has held opponents to a 0.95 average while posting an earn run average of 1.38 with 16 strikeouts. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-indians/2017/08/05/491745#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491745
Could Jordan Montgomery be the spark New York needs to get New York back in the win column? Will Jordan Montgomery be able to go longer innings in his start against Cleveland to give Joe Girardi some length and go deeper into the game? Will he be able to not give up as many runs as he did in his last outing against Tampa Bay where he gave up four runs and six hits? Will the New York offense who has struggled as of late be able to back Jordan Montgomery's start and their offense going against Danny Salazar and have a chance to win the game? Will the Cleveland offense be able to get their offense going against Jordan Montgomery? Will Cleveland win game three?
First pitch is set for 7:10 pm. The game will be televised on the Major League Baseball Network and Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-indians/2017/08/05/491745#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491745