Masahiro Tanaka Gets The Nod For New York In The Opener Against Baltimore
The Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will start the four -game set for New York Thursday night against Baltimore in the Bronx.
Masahiro Tanaka comes into this game against Baltimore with a record of 1-0 with a 1.50 earn run average after his win against Toronto.
In his last outing Tanaka hurled a gem in his first game of 18, limiting the Blue Jays to a run on three hits over six innings at Rogers Centre., walking none and striking out eight. He's 2-2 with a 3.58 ERA in eight starts vs. Baltimore. He will oppose Baltimore right -hander Andrew Cashner who has a record of 0-1 to go along with a 7.20 earn run average. Cashner's Orioles debut didn't go as planned as the righty allowed five (four earned over five innings in a loss to the Twins on Saturday. The righty went 11-11 with a 3.40 earn run average for Texas last year and will be making his first start in the Bronx. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-yankees/2018/04/05/529498?#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529498
New York comes into the series with Baltimore with a record of 4-2 after sweeping the series with
It was a trifecta kind of day Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx as Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez all homered in the finale against Tampa Bay.
The most muscular attraction in baseball turned sleepy mornings into must-see events all spring at Yankees camp, where Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge one-upped each other with monstrous batting-practice cuts, stoking expectations for the thunder to come. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
It is a group that could challenge records, and for the first time, all three of the Bombers' biggest bats went deep in the same game. Stanton, Sanchez and Judge each slugged a two-run homer on Wednesday, powering a 7-2 drubbing of the Rays at Yankee Stadium that reminded everyone how dangerous this lineup could be."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
"We have really good hitters on this team, and it's a matter of playing together and coming through at the right time," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "The thing here is that it's not just us. I'm fully conhttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636fident in what the lineup can do. We have really, really good players here." according to
His nerves calmed by Stanton's sizzling first-inning blast, Luis Severino recovered from an early C.J. Cron RBI double to spin 7 1/3 sharp innings, logging his second victory in as many outings. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
"We have a great team, a lot of power hitters, they grind every at-bat," Severino said. "If they strike out the last at-bat, they're going to go over there and keep fighting." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
Severino struck out seven and walked one in a brilliant 92-pitch effort, scattering five hits. He found his slider after the first inning, retiring 18 of 21 batters. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
"That's what I expected out of Severino," Judge said. "That's how he'd been all last year, that's what he did his first start, too. Just seeing him go out there and pump 98-99 [mph] and be able to command that slider with it, very impressive." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
Rays starter Blake Snell lasted 3 1/3 innings, permitting five runs on four hits, including the homers to Stanton and Sanchez. The Bombers' backstop was in an 0-for-17 skid when he hammered a 3-1 Snell changeup over the wall in left field. Judge tacked on his blast in the fourth inning off Matt Andriese. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
he Rays have lost five straight games, matching the Orioles for the longest current losing streak in the Majors. Tampa Bay has lost 11 consecutive series at Yankee Stadium, the longest streak by any team at the venue."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Jeers to cheers: After hearing boos in the late innings of the Yankees' home opener, Stanton rebounded from the first five-strikeout game of his career, cracking a first-inning line drive off Snell that marked his first Bronx homer with the Yankees. At 117.9 mph, Stanton's drive to left field was the hardest-hit ball in the Majors so far this season, traveling a projected 458 feet according to Statcast™. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
"It was good to get us up, and we were able to add on a couple more and get the crowd going," Stanton said. "[The booing] doesn't matter. You're going to have good days, bad days. It's good to help the team today and get after it tomorrow." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
The Toe-night Show: Ronald Torreyes banged home the Yankees' fifth run with an RBI single to greet Andriese in the fourth inning, but the greater momentum shift might have come in the first, when Torreyes saved a run by ranging into shallow right field and stealing a hit from Wilson Ramos. Torreyes' bat and glove have remained sharp despite sitting out the Y"Torreyes is a great player," Severino said. "He always is doing amazing stuff. He doesn't play that much but he's always ready to play. You give him the bat and he's always ready to hit."anks' first five games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
All rise: Following up on a 52-homer campaign that saw him named as the American League's Rookie of the Year while finishing second in the AL MVP race, Judge mashed his first homer of the season to left. Judge's homer came off the bat at 108.9 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 419 feet. He reached base in six of nine plate appearances during this two-game series. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
"That's the biggest thing, just hunt those mistakes," Judge said. "Those pitchers we meet, we face in this league, the Rays have, they're tough. It's a battle every at-bat, every pitch. So the biggest thing for me is just try to hunt those mistakes." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
With 57 career home runs, Judge has matched Rudy York for the most in Major League history through 188 games. A catcher and corner infielder who enjoyed a 13-year career, York played those contests with the Tigers in 1934, '37 and '38."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
Stanton has 270 home runs in 992 games. Only three players have hit as many homers in 1,000 games or fewer: Ryan Howard (279), Ralph Kiner (277) and Harmon Killebrew (272). "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
Sanchez has 54 career home runs, tied with Ryan Braun for fourth most in baseball history through 183 career games."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/judge-stanton-sanchez-homer-in-yankees-win/c-270818636
Meanwhile Baltimore comes into the series opener with New York with a record of 1-5 "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-yankees/2018/04/05/529498?#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529498 and is coming off a loss at Houston Wednesday.
Dylan Bundy , a bright spot in an otherwise struggling Orioles rotation, had another quality outing against the Astros on Wednesday, but Baltimore's offense didn't produce quite enough to squeak out a win. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Instead, on a day Houston starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel wasn't at his best and its vaunted offense wasn't crushing the ball, the Astros found another way to win, topping the Orioles, 3-2, at Minute Maid Park. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Our guys really grinded through," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We just couldn't get that hit. That's a tribute to [Keuchel]. He kept us from really opening up a bit and kept them in the game." according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
It came down to who was able to come through with the late-game clutch hit. The Orioles had a couple of chances, but couldn't deliver. Jonathan Schoop who reached base in four of five plate appearances and logged his second three-hit game of 2018, led off the fifth with a base hit, but was erased on a double-play ball from Adam Jones. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Schoop doubled with one out in the seventh but was stranded when Jones grounded out and Trey Mancini flied out to center. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Meanwhile, the Astros pushed across the tying run on a squeeze bunt by Marwin Gonzalez in the sixth inning and used a stolen base by Derek Fisher in the seventh to set up Alex Bregman's go-ahead single."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
For two teams that have either given up a lot of runs so far this season (Baltimore) or scored a lot (Houston), Wednesday's game was unusual. Still, despite the Orioles' 1-5 start to the season, there were positives to draw from Wednesday's game -- namely, Bundy's second solid outing to begin. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Combined with seven shutout innings on Opening Day, Bundy has allowed two runs (one earned) over 13 innings."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
"It's been fun to watch," Showalter said. "You never think anything's a given going into a season, but to see him get off to this type of start. ... I thought coming out of the spring he deserved to be our first starter, and it really makes you feel good about that confidence you had in him." according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Bundy struck out eight Houston batters, bringing his season total to 15. He's the first Orioles pitcher in history to fan eight in four consecutive road games. Through that run, Bundy has recorded 36 strikeouts over 25 innings."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
During one stretch Wednesday, he struck out seven of 12 batters."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
"It was a battle," Bundy said. "Everybody knows who that team is. You just have to execute your pitches. You try to work ahead of them as much as you can and use their aggressiveness against them." "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Bundy was sharper than Keuchel, who struggled with this control and needed 104 pitches to get through five innings. He allowed five hits and two runs (one earned) and walked four batters."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
The Astros have won 14 of 16 from the Orioles since the start of 2016 and have won nine in a row against Baltimore in Houston. The Orioles' last win at Minute Maid Park was June 4, 2015. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
The Orioles will play five teams this month that were in the postseason in 2017, and they have back-to-back series against the clubs that faced off in the American League Championship Series. Following the Astros series, the O's were off to New York for a four-game set with the Yankees."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
I think we're all good," Bundy said. "Six games in? It's definitely not the start we wanted and what we're used to, but it's baseball. We have to keep going out there every day and play the way we know how to play." according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Added Schoop: "We're getting there. Everybody's clicking a little bit. There's still work to do -- we've just got to worry about the next series that comes." according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Putting on the squeeze: Aggressive baserunning on a throwing error from Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander helped the Astros tie the game in the sixth inning. Altuve singled, went to second on a Josh Reddick single and third on an errant throw by Santander, putting Gonzalez in position to drop a rare squeeze bunt to score Altuve and tie the game at 2-2."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
Stolen base payoff: Fisher, who scored the winning run from second base in Game 5 of the World Series on a walkoff single by Bregman, made his speed pay off again Wednesday when he swiped second base in the seventh inning and scored moments later in a single to left by -- you guessed it -- Bregman to put the Astros ahead, 3-2."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
QUOTABLE
"Dylan has three or four pitches, and at some time today, they were all available to him. He really pitches to weakness as well. You go through a scouting report with him, and you know he's going to retain it and attack it." -- Showalter "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Schoop extended his hitting streak vs. the Astros to seven games with a 3-for-4 performance in Wednesday's series finale. He has a .484 average (15-for-31) with three doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs during his streak. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dylan-bundy-strikes-out-8-in-loss-to-astros/c-270832362
First pitch is set for 6:35pm at Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on Yes and MASN "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-yankees/2018/04/05/529498?#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529498