Masahiro Tanaka Gets The Start As New York Looks To Gain Ground On Boston
Today Joe Girardi will turn to Japanese right -hander Masahiro Tanaka as New York looks to bounce back from a game two defeat where the New York offense didn't give starting pitcher Sonny Gray any run support which has been the story since they acquired him at the July 31st trade deadline from Oakland.
Will the New York offense be able to get their offense going against Drew Pomeranz and give Masahiro Tanaka some run support?
Saturday's Game 3 of the four-game rivalry showdown against the Yankees, the American League East-leading Red Sox will get another key piece back in the lineup when center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is activated from the disabled list. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
Bradley, who was out with a left thumb sprain, is an elite defender who also has the power to take aim at the cozy dimensions of right field in the Bronx. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
I'm ready to play," said Bradley. "I was telling a few guys how I couldn't imagine a 15-day DL. I guess I've got to be happy it's only 10. I feel like I should be ready to go." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
The second-place Yankees, led by righty starter Masahiro Tanaka, will try to stop Bradley and the rest of Boston's lineup. Dustin Pedroia returned on Friday, as the Red Sox are getting healthier down the stretch. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
After a shaky first half, Tanaka has pitched much better since the All-Star break, going 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA in seven starts. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
Drew Pomeranz, who has emerged into the No. 2 starter for the Red Sox, goes for his 15th win. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
The Yankees hope to jump on Pomeranz, led by Aaron Judge, who hit a double in his first at-bat Friday in his continued quest to emerge from a slump. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
"He's going to be fine," Yankees veteran Matt Holliday said of Judge. "This is baseball. It's hard. The pitching nowadays is ridiculously good and if you're not perfectly timed up, you're going to go through some tough stretches. That's just the way it is. Every day is a challenge." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
Pomeranz loves pitching at Yankee Stadium, where he is 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA in four career starts. Then again, Pomeranz loves pitching anywhere lately. In 14 starts since June 16, Pomeranz is 8-0 with a 2.31 ERA. Gary Sanchez (6-for-15, three HRs, six RBIs), Brett Gardner (8-for-23, one homer) and Didi Gregorius (8-for-19, one homer) have all swung the bat well against Pomeranz. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848948/al-east-leading-sox-welcome-jbj-back-to-lineup/?topicId=26688732
As for Boston and New York's last game, Boston evened up the series with a 4-1 win over New York.
n game two Friday Boston used the home run ball which they're not usually known for to even the series at one a piece in the four game series between the two rivals who are in first and second place in the American League East.
Doug Fister continued to solidify the Red Sox's rotation by supplying a stellar four-hit effort and Boston cracked three homers off Sonny Gray, reclaiming their 5 1/2-game advantage in the American League East with a 4-1 victory over the Yankees on Friday evening in the Bronx. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
Fister settled in nicely after Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge led off the first inning with back-to-back extra-base hits, silencing New York's order as the Bombers went 2-for-29 with a walk the rest of the way. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 32nd save, preserving the starter's victory in Fister's first Yankee Stadium start since he fired 6 1/3 scoreless innings for the Tigers in Game 1 of the 2012 AL Championship Series. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
Every start is a big start. A big day," said Fister."And that's the outlook, that's the focus I take every time out. I try to break it down every pitch and keep it simple, but it's definitely fun to be in a race. We have a task to do every day." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
The Yankees have lost four of their last five games, but they still hold a one-game lead over the Twins for the first AL Wild Card spot. Boston and New York have just two games remaining head-to-head this season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
"I think our mentality was that we needed to come in and win the series," Yankees designated hitter Chase Headley said. "Crazy things happen. I've seen leads disappear in a hurry, so I wouldn't say there's no shot if we don't, but we certainly feel the urgency that we need to win this series." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
All four Boston runs were generated by the homers off Gray, who struck out nine over seven innings but snapped a string of 11 starts permitting two earned runs or less. Eduardo Nunezslugged a two-run homer in the third inning, Andrew Benintendi hit a solo blast in the fifth and Hanley Ramirez deposited an opposite-field shot into the Yanks' bullpen in the seventh. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
"I got beat on three pitches tonight," Gray said. "A couple of them, I looked at them and they were decent pitches. They just beat me. It is frustrating, because on a night like tonight when I feel like I had some good things going for me, I got beat on three swings." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
It was Ramirez's third homer in the last four days as he appears to be out of the slump that plagued him for most of August. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
"Hanley is in that stretch where he makes such an impact as a whole," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "But good to see him drive the ball as he did to right-center field." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
"I got beat on three pitches tonight," Gray said. "A couple of them, I looked at them and they were decent pitches. They just beat me. It is frustrating, because on a night like tonight when I feel like I had some good things going for me, I got beat on three swings." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
One night after being chastised by veteran CC Sabathia for daring to drop a first-inning bunt, Nunez responded with his 12th home run of the year, a line-drive shot to left field. Though Nunez said before the game that he'll "never hit 40 homers, so I have to be bunting," the showdown against Gray offered a reminder that he and the Red Sox can occasionally lean on the long ball as well. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
It was Ramirez's third homer in the last four days as he appears to be out of the slump that plagued him for most of August. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
"Hanley is in that stretch where he makes such an impact as a whole," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "But good to see him drive the ball as he did to right-center field." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
The ball just [flew] today," said Nunez. "I put a good swing on the ball, and that just happened." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
"I don't think that was a bad pitch, but he beat me there," Gray said. "It's one of those where if I could do it again, I executed what I was trying to do. He just was able to get underneath it and put a good swing on it." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
Benintendi's sizzling stroke continued with his 14th RBI against the Yankees this season -- tied for the most by any rookie against the Yanks since Jose Canseco also had 14 in 1986. Benintendi has five homers at Yankee Stadium this season, setting a Red Sox record for the current venue that opened in 2009. In his last six games, Benintendi is 9-for-21 (.428) while reaching base safely 16 times in those contests. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
Andrew Benintendi drills a solo shot to right in the top of the 5th, adding an insurance run for a 3-1 Red Sox lead in the 5th. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
"Well, I think any time you have a left-handed hitter in the box here, you kind of hold your breath," said Farrell. "The beauty of Benny in his first full season, I think he's got a true understanding of pitches he's trying to look for in a given at-bat, particularly against a certain type of pitcher, and it's played well, certainly. You look at the beautiful swing he's got and just a hell of a hitter." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
That was awesome. He brings an energy and he comes in and makes those plays at second base like he hasn't missed a day. He gets his knock that he seems to always get. It seems like he didn't miss a day." -- Benintendi, on the return of Dustin Pedroia, who had a hit and made two strong defensive plays to get hits away from Jacoby Ellsbury in his first game since Aug. 8. "accordingtohttp://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
When Mookie Betts fought off a 103.1-mph fastball by Aroldis Chapman for a single in the eighth, it became the fastest pitch for a hit in the Majors this season, replacing the dramatic game-tying homer by Rafael Devers that was also against Chapman on Aug. 13. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/251848490/red-sox-hit-three-home-runs-beat-yankees/
With the win, Boston who is leading the American League East improves to 77-58 while New York drops to 71-63 on the season with the loss and is now 5.5 back in second place behind Boston.
New York and Boston will play game three of their four game series at Yankee Stadium this afternoon.
Left-hander Drew Pomeranz will get the start for Boston. He has a record of 14-4 with a 3.23 earn run average. Pomeranz continues to be one of the stories of the season for the Redsox, going from a bubble candidate in Spring Training to the teams #2 starter. In 14 starts since June 16, Pomeranz is 8-0 with a 2.31 earn run average. He will go up against New York right -hander Masahiro Tanaka who has a record of 10-10 with a 4.69 earn run average. Tanaka has been excellent in two starts since coming off the disabled list, striking out 10 in his last effort in Sunday's win in the Bronx. Tanaka is 1-2 with 3.32 earn run average in three starts vs. Boston this year.
Will Boston be able to get their offense going against Masahiro Tanaka? Will Boston take a lead in the series or will New York bounce back from their defeat Friday?
First pitch is set for 1:05 pm. The game will be televised on NESN and Major League Baseball Network. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/red-sox-vs-yankees/2017/09/02/492120#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=492120