New York Returns Home To Host Miami For A Two-Game Series

After a three game road trip over the weekend to Detroit that started out with a win on Friday night to go along with two postponed games New York returns to the Bronx for a two-game series with Giancarlo Stanton's former team in Miami. 

New York right -hander Luis Severino will get the start for New York. He has a record of 2-1 with a 3.50 earn run average. Severino had a 1.38 earn run average through his first two starts of the season, but was roughed up for five runs on eight hits over five innings in a 14-1 loss to the Redsox last Tuesday. He has never faced the Marlines. He will oppose Miami left-hander Caleb Smith who has a record of 0-1 with a 4.73 earn run average. A year ago, Smith threw 18 2/3 innings with the Yankee. The lefty returns to face his former team. At Yankee Stadium in 2017, he made three appearances, with one start. He comes off a seven inning strikeout performance against the Mets. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/marlins-vs-yankees/2018/04/16/529649?#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529649

New York comes into this game with Miami with a record of 7-7  and is third in the American League East standings "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/ and is coming off a win over Detroit.

Aaron Hicks had to motor around the bases for his first home run of the season on Friday night. He was able to take his time when he hit his second a few innings later. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

Hicks connected for a pair of home runs, including an inside-the-parker, and the Yankees staved off a late Tigers rally for an 8-6 series-opening win at Comerica Park. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

Yeah, I liked the first [homer better]. It was a lot more exciting," Hicks said. "Once you're rounding that third bag there, it's kinda fun to see if you can make it or not." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

Hicks did make it, uncontested, sliding headfirst into home plate. It was his first inside-the-park home run at any level of professional ball."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

"I was exhausted," he said with a smirk. "It's something you don't do every day. You don't run around all four." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

And you generally don't hit an over-the-fence home run four innings later, either. But he did that, "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

"He's incredible. He's got power from both sides of the plate. Gold Glover. Center fielder. It's incredible. He's an igniter," outfielder Aaron Judge said. "He keeps us going, wherever he's at in the lineup -- he ignites. We saw that tonight." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

It was the fourth career multihomer game for Hicks, who was playing in just his second game since returning from the disabled list after dealing with a Grade 1 strain of his intercostal muscle. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in his return on Thursday, but he wasn't discouraged by his at-bats."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

He showed why on Friday night. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

"I talked to him, actually, before the game, and even though he didn't get any hits in Boston, I thought all of his at-bats were quality," manager Aaron Boone said. "You can tell he's seeing the ball pretty well. So it was really encouraging seeing him swing the bat like that." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

His three RBIs and some key insurance runs proved to be enough support for starter Jordan Montgomery, who picked up his first win of the season. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

On the heels of a rough start in which he lasted 4 1/3 innings, Montgomery worked six-plus innings of three-run ball, allowing five hits and striking out four. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

"I thought his fastball and changeup were really strong," Boone said. "To be able to get into the seventh inning ... [It was] a strong effort, and one we needed." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

Tigers catcher James McCann put Detroit on the board with a fifth-inning solo shot, his first of the season. He added a sac fly in the seventh to cut New York's lead to 6-3, and an RBI single in the eighth. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

The Tigers (4-9) pieced together a three-run rally in the eighth and brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate with two outs, but reliever Chad Green, a former Tigers prospect, froze Dixon Machado on a 95-mph fastball for a called third strike to end the late-inning threat. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

I see [Green] in so many roles," Boone said. "We feel like he can wear a lot of hats for us, and tonight was a good example of that." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

Aroldis Chapman worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out the side, to pick up his second save. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

was an all-around slugfest for the Yankees, who combined for 11 hits, including an RBI single off the bat of Judge that extended his season-high hitting streak to 11 games. It's the longest hitting streak by a Yankee this season, and tied for the third-longest active streak in the Majors. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

"His at-bats have been so good. I mean, he can really wear down a pitcher," Boone said. "Whatever he does, it seems like he's in and winning so many pitches in the course of the game. He makes it really hard on an opposing pitcher. He's in a really good place." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

SOUND SMART
Hicks' was the first inside-the-park homer by a Yankees player since Curtis Granderson hit one on Aug. 21, 2011, in Minnesota. Hicks went home-to-home in 15.89 seconds. It is the Yankees' fastest home run time since Statcast™ started tracking in 2015, and the second quickest this season. Boston's Eduardo Nunez edged Hicks by .02 seconds with an inside-the-park home run on Opening Day. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

It was also the first time a Yankee hit both an inside-the-park home run and an over-the-fence homer since Hank Bauer on May 30, 1956. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

With Hicks' two-homer outing, the Yankees became the first team in Major League history to have five players record a multihomer game in the first 14 games of a season. Hicks joins Tyler Austin, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

• Of the 17 pitches Chapman threw, eight (47 percent) were sliders, the second-highest rate of his career in an appearance of at least 10 pitches. This season, 33.1 percent of Chapman's total pitches have been sliders, compared with 19.1 percent in 2017."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

HE SAID IT
"I think the whole bench got up and was waiting for him right when he got in. You don't get to see that play too often, and when you do, it's a pretty exciting play." -- Judge, on the team's reaction to Hicks' inside-the-park home run "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-hicks-hits-inside-the-park-hr-in-win/c-272075576

Meanwhile Miami comes into their game with New York with a record of 4-10 and is fifth in the National East and is coming off a loss to Pittsburgh Sunday.

Justin Bour launched his fourth homer of the season, but it wasn't enough to overcome a career-best day at the plate by Starling Marte, as the Pirates defeated the Marlins, 7-3, on Sunday -- which was Jackie Robinson Day -- in the rubber game of their three-game series at Marlins Park. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

The Marlins still are seeking their first series win of the season as they head out on a nine-game road trip. Miami went 1-5 on this homestand, with its only win coming Friday night in the series opener against Pittsburgh, before dropping a disheartening 1-0 contest on Saturday. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

This was a little rougher one [to lose] because we win the first game with pretty much everything going right -- we pitch well, we have great bats. Then yesterday, had opportunities to basically win a series right there," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

The Marlins had an ideal start on Sunday in their bid to take the series when they loaded the bases on a trio of singles from J.B. Shuck, Miguel Rojas and Starlin Castro. But the Marlins mustered only one run off Pirates starter Ivan Nova, and didn't score again until Bour went deep in the seventh. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

"Had bases loaded with nobody out and end up with one [run]. We were just not able to hold them from there," Mattingly said."according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

The Pirates gave Nova the lead with three runs in the third, tacked on another run in the fifth and stretched the advantage to 6-1 in the top of the seventh."according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

Marte put the finishing touches on a 5-for-5 performance by leading off the top of the ninth with a solo homer to left. It was the Pirates' 13th hit of the game. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

Marlins starter Jose Urena was lifted after five innings and 90 pitches. Miami's Opening Day starter still is seeking his first win of 2018, after allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk. He also hit a batter and had five strikeouts. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

"I thought Jose was OK," Mattingly said of the right-hander, who is now 0-3 with a 5.57 ERA on the season. "He just really hasn't been able to put the whole package together. He's had sections of games that have been really good. He's had some rough starts. [We're] hoping he gets on a roll, and he just wasn't able to do that. Give those guys over there some credit for sure. They've got a good hitting ballclub. We weren't able to slow them down enough." "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

Nova had nine strikeouts and stymied the Marlins' bats for most of the game, before Bour hit a pinch-hit two-run shot in the seventh into the right-field stands. The homer came on an 83-mph offspeed pitch that had an exit velocity of 110 mph, traveled 405 feet and had a launch angle of 24 degrees, according to Statcast™. Bour's homer came on Nova's 106th and final pitch that sliced Pittsburgh's lead to 6-3. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Plunking the Bucs: Urena hit Josh Harrison, the Pirates' leadoff hitter, with a pitch in the top of the third inning that struck Harrison's left hand. Harrison left the game after being examined by trainers. The Pirates then reciprocated in the bottom of the inning when Nova's first pitch hit Shuck in the lower back. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

"On 0-2, we're not trying to hit their guy," Mattingly said. "Sometimes you feel like you've got to do something on the other side, and I guess since it's done the right way, it's first pitch, there's no doubt about why he did it. He did it in the right spot and it's over. When it's done right, the message is fine -- I don't think it was a war." according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

SOUND SMART
Urena's four runs allowed halted a stretch of six straight games in which the Marlins' starting pitchers had limited opponents to three or fewer runs. "according to https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/justin-bours-hr-not-enough-as-marlins-fall/c-272336638

First pitch is set for 6:35pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on Yes and Fox Sports Florida. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/marlins-vs-yankees/2018/04/16/529649?#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529649