Jordan Montgomery To Start Tuesday In New York's Home Opener Against Tampa Bay
Mother nature was the culprit Monday as it snowed when New York was supposed to have their home opener so lets try this again.
New York will host Tampa Bay Tuesday for their home opener at Yankee Stadium.
Montgomery draws the start for the Yankees home opener, coming off a campaign where he led all American League rookies in starts. (29. ), strikeouts (144) and innings pitched (155 1/3). He was the third Yankees rookie since 1974 to throw 150 frames. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/rays-vs-yankees/2018/04/03/529468?#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529468
He will go up against Tampa Bay right -hander Chris Archer.
New York comes into their game with Tampa Bay with a record of 2-2 have split the series with Toronto while losing the finale Sunday at Rogers Centre.
One strike away from escaping from an eighth-inning jam, David Robertson had snapped off four consecutive curveballs and doubted his ability to survive a fifth. The Yankees' reliever decided to rear back for a fastball, and Justin Smoak was ready for it. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
Smoak crushed Robertson's ninth pitch of the at-bat over the center-field wall for his second career grand slam, capping a six-RBI performance for the Blue Jays' switch-hitter and handing the Yankees a crushing 7-4 defeat on Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
I didn't think I could really throw him another curveball; he'd already seen too many then," Robertson said. "Those were probably the best I had at that time. He's a good hitter. I've gotten him out a lot in the past, but he got me today. It's frustrating. I was one pitch away and just didn't get it done." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
The showdown created a second-guessing opportunity for manager Aaron Boone, who elected to intentionally walk Josh Donaldson with first base open in order to have Robertson pitch to the red-hot Smoak. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
"He has really good stuff and I knew he was a guy I hadn't done well off of in the past," Smoak said. "I knew from the get-go that it was going to be a tough at-bat. You just go out there and try to give a good at-bat and I was able to get the big hit." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
In Smoak's previous at-bat, he hit a two-run homer off Tommy Kahnle, but Smoak was 0-for-5 with four strikeouts lifetime against Robertson. Donaldson was 3-for-8 with two homers. Boone said that Robertson's breaking ball made the matchup against Smoak appealing."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
"You've got to tip your cap there," Boone said. "Smoak worked a heck of an at-bat off him, fouled off some really tough pitches and then finally got one. He ends up having a huge day against us, obviously. I'm comfortable with the matchup. Didn't get it done today." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
Starter Sonny Gray needed 89 pitches to toss four-plus innings of one-run ball, but Chad Green fired two scoreless innings before Kahnle and Robertson coughed up a three-run lead."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
"I think everyone felt really good with where we were going into the later part of this game," Gray said. "It just didn't really work out for us today, but if I had to do it again tomorrow, we'd do the same thing. It's going to come out in our favor more times than not." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
All of New York's scoring came in the third inning off Toronto starter Marcus Stroman. Didi Gregorius roped an RBI double, Neil Walker contributed a run-scoring single and Brandon Drury launched his first homer in a Yankees uniform, a two-run shot to left-center. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/bullpen-slips-up-as-yanks-drop-finale-to-jays/c-270388344
Meanwhile Tampa Bay comes into their game with New York with a record of 1-3 after their loss to Boston Sunday.
Kevin Cash summed up Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Red Sox -- and the Rays' four-game series loss by looking at the team's offense.
Brad Miller hit his first homer of the season to put the Rays up, 1-0, in the second. J.D. Martinez's RBI single in the fifth tied the game before Rafael Devers' RBI single in the sixth gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
Sunday's game ended with the Rays threatening, but Denard Span struck out with runners on the corners for the final out."according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
On Opening Day, the Rays erased a 4-0 lead with a six-run eighth inning. The Red Sox then won the next three games by one run. Of course, the Rays faced three aces in the first three games in Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello, two of whom have won Cy Young Awards in their career. And Sunday's starter Hector Velazquez pitched effectively for 5 2/3 innings."according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
"Give Velazquez some credit for keeping us off balance," Cash said. "He had a pretty good fastball. He got us to expand out of the zone up quite a bit." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
st quiet bats," manager Kevin Cash said. "...We're going to get going here eve. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
The Rays' offense has totaled nine runs, the second fewest in club history, through four games (In 2011, they scored six). The offense has been held scoreless in 31 of their 35 trips to the plate this season."according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
Carlos Gomez, who has one of the team's two home runs this season, said the Rays aren't close to being frustrated. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
"It's only four games, you know," Gomez said. "Everybody is excited, you know how it is the first week of the season, everybody tries to over-do everything. Some teams start hot and some teams start slow. We had bad luck that we start a little slow. But we have a really good lineup and if we keep it going, we're going to be fine." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
Miller, who has the other homer, gave credit to the Red Sox's pitching. In particular the starting pitching, which held the Rays to two runs in 24 innings."according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
"Coming right out of the gate [and facing] three Cy Young [caliber pitchers] is no easy task," Miller said. "When those guys pitch they just keep you off balance just enough. And they locate well. And their bullpen did a good job, too. I think we had real competitive at-bats." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
Cash also credited the Red Sox's pitching staff by saying, "We faced really good pitching [this series]." And he added that he was confident that the Rays' hitters would find their way. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
"We have guys who have a track record of hitting and they are going to get going," Cash said. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Wendle save: The Red Sox scored their first run in the fifth and were on the brink of having a big inning. Rays starter Jake Faria was chased after Martinez's RBI single, and Jose Alvarado took over with runners on first and second. Two outs later, Christian Vazquez grounded sharply to the right side of the infield for what looked like an RBI single. But Rays second baseman Joey Wendle dived to his left to make the grab, then quickly got to his feet to throw out Vazquez at first. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
Missed op: With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Matt Duffy stood on first, and Wendle was the batter. Wendle lined a ball into the right-field corner, and Duffy circled the bases. But he was stopped at third by third-base coach Matt Quatraro. That left runners on second and third, and the Rays one run shy of tying the game. Wilson Ramos then flied out to right to end the inning."according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
"Obviously, I wanted to send him," Quatraro said. "And then, knowing how athletic [Red Sox right-fielder Mookie] Betts is and what a good arm he has, I thought he did a good job of picking it up and getting it in as quickly as he possibly could. When I saw the ball leave his hand, I thought it was going to be on the money to [the cutoff man, second baseman Brock] Holt. And I thought if we go, he's out." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
QUOTABLE
"Probably me being a moron." -- Cash, when asked what led him to putting Yonny Chirinos into a 1-1 game for his Major League debut. Cash chuckled at his remark because Chirinos pitched well, tossing four scoreless frames."according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Rays have a 2.25 ERA through the first four games. Their 10 runs allowed are their fewest in club history through four games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/brad-miller-homers-as-rays-fall-to-red-sox/c-270439612
First pitch is set for 4:05pm. The game will be televised on Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/rays-vs-yankees/2018/04/03/529468?#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529468