New York Turns To Luis Severino For The Finale As They Take On Cleveland

New York will finish up their series with Cleveland this afternoon and for the finale, Joe Girardi will turn to Luis Severino who has been magnificent so far this season for the Bronx Bombers. 

Sunday's series finale between the Yankees and the Indians at Progressive Field will feature a premier pitching matchup between New York's Luis Severino and Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

Severino (8-4, 2.98 ERA) will aim to continue his strong campaign as he takes the mound for his 22nd start. Although the All-Star right-hander threw 116 pitches and walked three through five innings against the Tigers on Monday, he picked up the win after holding Detroit to one run on four hits while striking out eight. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

Severino has won three consecutive starts and has been lights-out over his last four outings, going 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA. In those four starts, he has allowed two earned runs in 26 innings while recording 29 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .196 average. He has not taken a loss since July 2 against the Astros. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

Carrasco (10-4, 3.89) will look to bounce back after a rough outing against the Red Sox his last time out. In a rare dud for the Indians right-hander, he was credited with a no-decision after he only lasted 1 2/3 innings on Tuesday. He allowed five runs -- all of which came in the second inning -- on six hits and three walks. It marked only the sixth time in 21 starts this season that Carrasco has allowed more than three runs in a start. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

Both pitchers have found success against the opposing team in their respective careers. In 10 career appearances (eight starts) against the Yankees, Carrasco has gone 4-4 with a 3.67 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 49 innings. Severino has gone 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and eight strikeouts in two career starts (12 innings) against the Tribe. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

After missing nearly a month, Jason Kipnis will be activated from the 10-day disabled list (right hamstring strain) prior to Sunday's game. Expect Kipnis to return to the top half of the Indians' lineup and play second base. Kipnis was hitting .232 with eight homers and 26 RBIs in 66 games before his injury. In 30 career games against New York, Kipnis his hitting .319 (36-for-113) with eight doubles, five homers, 10 RBIs, 14 walks and a .914 OPS. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and third baseman Todd Frazier have both found success against Carrasco in their careers. Frazier has gone 8-for-21 (.381) with a homer, four doubles, six RBIs and two walks, while Ellsbury has gone 6-for-18 (.333) with a homer, four RBIs, and two walks. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

A big key to Severino's success this season has been his slider. Per Statcast, opponents are only hitting .205 with a .275 slugging percentage against the pitch. In addition, he has recorded 108 swings and misses and 99 called strikes with the slider, and he has racked up 90 strikeouts with it. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170805246671524/stellar-severino-starts-yanks-cleveland-finale/?game_pk=491760

As for New York and Cleveland's last game, New York finally got back in the win column after losing four straight. 

Doesn't feel great when you finally get back in the win column after losing your last four games? 

New York did so Saturday night in Ohio at Progressive Field as they beat Cleveland 2-1 in game three of the four game series thanks to third baseman Chase Headley.

The Yankees needed to get Indians right-hander Danny Salazar off the mound on Saturday night. Once his overpowering outing came to a close, Chase Headley delivered a go-ahead home run for New York, paving the way for a 2-1 win at Progressive Field that halted Cleveland's nine-game home winning streak. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

The decisive blow arrived in the eighth inning when Zach McAllister took over for Salazar and then yielded the one-out solo shot to Headley to put the Indians behind, 2-1. Salazar was hung with a no-decision after notching a career high in strikeouts (12) and a season high in pitches (112) over his seven dominant frames. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

"It was big. We haven't been swinging the bats great," Headley said. "Part of that is us and part of that is their starting pitching. It was a big swing. I wasn't sure when I hit it, but it had enough and fortunately, it carried out. It was enough to get us a win." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

With the Royals-Mariners game postponed, the loss trimmed the Tribe's lead atop the American League Central to three games over Kansas City. The Yankees held firm to the AL's top Wild Card spot and remained three games back of the Red Sox in the AL East. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

"The guy comes out there, gives us seven innings, one run, 12 strikeouts," Indians catcher Yan Gomes said of Salazar. "I mean, he's been doing that consistently the last couple starts since he's been back. It's really nice to see." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

Yankees left-hander Jordan Montgomery also walked away with a no-decision after limiting the Tribe to one run on three hits over five innings. Montgomery, who struck out seven and walked none, flinched only in the second when Carlos Santana crushed a hanging curveball over the 19-foot wall in left for a home run. The blast was Santana's 16th of the season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

"He kind of leverages the ball downhill," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Montgomery. "And his breaking ball, it was in and out of the zone and we had a really tough time laying off. Once a couple of them got called, then we started to chase it more. Their staff is really good. We made it probably even tougher because we started going out of the zone more. They really took advantage of that." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

The Yankees' only other breakthrough arrived via an RBI double from Didi Gregorius in the first inning. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

Gardy's got it: The sellout crowd of 34,651 roared in the ninth as Jose Ramirez lifted a deep fly ball to left field off Aroldis Chapman, sparking images of a possible two-run, walk-off homer.Brett Gardner had a different idea, as the Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder expertly tracked the ball to the wall and timed his leap perfectly on the warning track to take away what could have been an extra-base hit. Ronald Torreyes added a diving catch to steal a hit from the next batter, Edwin Encarnacion. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

"When he hit it, I wasn't sure," Gardner said. "I knew it was pretty high and I knew it was going to be really close to being a catchable ball. I just wasn't sure if it was going to land on the track or be halfway up the wall. It's a ball that [Aaron] Judge probably catches without having to jump. I'm fortunate it wasn't hit six inches higher because it could have been a different result in the game." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

"Gardner makes a great play. And then the little bloop right there was a nice diving catch, too," McAllister said. "We had our chances right there. It's just one of those where that's tough. You have to tip your cap. They made good plays and we just missed a home run. There were multiple things where if the ball goes a different way, it's a different ballgame. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

 After Francisco Lindor led off the sixth with a rocketed single off the wall in right, Brandon Guyer flared a pitch from David Robertson to shallow center. The ball looked destined for the grass until Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury dove to snare it at the last moment. Per Statcast™, the catch probability on the play was 75 percent, making it a 3-Star play for Ellsbury. The catch proved important, considering Michael Brantley followed with a single to left, before Robertson retired the next two batters to escape further harm." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

Just because we're not scoring a lot of runs doesn't mean we can't win ballgames," Robertson said. "The pitching just has to get the job done, and we were able to do that tonight." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246691184/yankees-wait-out-danny-salazar-beat-indians/

New York improves to 58-51 and is now three games back of their American League East rival in second place behind  Boston who is leading the division with a record of 62-49. Cleveland meanwhile drops to 59-49 and is in first place in the American League Central.

New York and Cleveland will finish up their four -game series today at Progressive Field. New York will turn to right -hander Luis Severino in the finale. He has a record of 8-4 with a 2.98 earn run average. Severino will pitch with an extra day of rest after being taxed for 116 pitches over just five innings in his last start, a July 31st outing vs the Tigers. Severino has won three straight starts and hasn't lost since July 2nd at Houston. He will go up against Cleveland right -hander Carlos Carrasco who has a record of 10-4 with an earn run average of 3.89. In his last outing, Carrasco had a rare dud, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks 1/2/3 innings vs Boston. In 10 career games that include eight starts eight starts against the Yankees, Carrasco has gone 4-4 with a 3.67 earn run average and 52 strikeouts in 49 innings. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-indians/2017/08/06/491760#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491760

Will right -hander Luis Severino be as stellar as he has been all season for Joe Girardi's club as he take on Cleveland? Will he pitch as great as he did in his last outing against Detroit? Will he win his fourth game in a row? Will the New York offense be able to back up his start and get their offense going against Carlos Carrasco? Will Chase Headley who was the difference maker in Saturday's game with his home run make an impact in the finale? 

First pitch is set for 1:10 pm. The game will be televised on Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-indians/2017/08/06/491760#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491760