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BASEBALL

New York To Resume Their Rivalry With Boston

After a seven game home stand New York will now travel to Massachusetts to take on their American League East rival Boston for the first time in 2018 in a three game series starting Tuesday night. 

Right -hander Luis Severino will get the start for New York and so far this season he has a record of 2-0 with a 1.38 earn run average. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/33263/luis-severino

In his two most recent starts  Severino gave up just one hit in 5 2/3 scoreless innings on Opening Day in Toronto, and two runs in 7 1/3 innings on April 4 vs. the Rays. He was brilliant in two Fenway Park starts in 2017, allowing just one run on seven hits in 14 innings. He will oppose Boston left-hander Chris Sale who comes into the game against New York with a record of 0-0 to go along with an 0.82 earn run average. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/30948/chris-sale

The lefty ace gets the start in the first of 19 rivalry matchups this season. Though Sale is just 4-4 in 12 starts against the Yankees in his career, he has a 1.81 ERA and .193 opponents batting average against them. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

New York comes into this three game set with Boston with a record of 5-5 and are coming off a loss to Baltimore in a game that lasted twelve innings. 

With five runs in the first inning, the Yankees felt good Sunday. With the game tied and in the hands of the two bullpens late, they still felt good. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

And when they had the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the 12th inning with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton coming up, of course they felt good."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

The early lead didn't last. The bullpen didn't hold. And at the end of an ultra-frustrating first week at home, Stanton struck out once again to end an 8-7 Yankees loss to the Orioles. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

Craig Gentry's two-out single off Adam Warren brought home the winning run. Orioles closer Brad Brach got the save, getting out of the bases-loaded jam by inducing Judge to bounce into a double play and then striking out Stanton."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

The Yankees were stuck with a 5-5 record through 10 games as they get ready to head to Boston for their first meeting of the season with the Red Sox."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

"We had a chance to finish off a good homestand," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

Instead, Boone was left to explain that he feels good about his bullpen, even though that heralded group has had a big hand in each of the team's five losses so far. He was left to explain he feels good about Stanton, even if the 2017 National League Most Valuable Player Award winner just had his second five-strikeout game in a week where he went 3-for-28, struck out 16 times and heard boos from his new home fans."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

"I think in time he'll be fine," Boone said. "He's too good a player. Before long, it'll be an old story.""according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

For now, though, the Yankees' stories are that the things that were supposed to be so good haven't been good enough. Stanton has three impressive home runs, but not enough in between. The bullpen has looked better, but three times this weekend against the Orioles, the Yanks' relievers were the ones who gave up the game."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

"We expect to put up zeros," Warren said. "We expect to be great out there.""according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

 

     

    Instead, Yankees relievers have combined for a 4.89 ERA (compared to 3.34 last season). Sunday, after starter Jordan Montgomery gave back four of the five first-inning runs and didn't make it out of the fifth inning, reliever Domingo German gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings, including an Anthony Santander home run that briefly put the Orioles in front, 7-6, in the seventh."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

    Dellin Betances, Aroldis Chapman, Chasen Shreve and David Robertson pitched scoreless innings, but Warren walked Pedro Alvarez with one out in the 12th and saw him come around to score the winning run. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

    "[The walk] was probably the one thing that bothered me," Warren said. "The [two hits] were ground balls that found holes." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

    MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
    The missed chances: It wasn't just the 12th inning, when the Yankees threatened to score. There was also the 10th inning, when Didi Gregorius' one-out double set them up to win it. But Gentry went back to make a game-saving catch on Brett Gardner's fly ball, and after Orioles manager Buck Showalter intentionally walked Judge, O's reliever Richard Bleier got Stanton to ground into an inning-ending forceout. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

       

      Romine delivers three times: With Gary Sanchez out of the lineup for a second straight day with cramps in his right leg, Austin Romine was again the Yankees' catcher Sunday. Romine singled home a run in the five-run first and another in the fifth. After Santander had given the Orioles the lead in the top of the seventh, it was Romine's third single of the day that tied the game in the bottom of the inning."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

      QUOTABLE

      "You've just got to look at it as a bad week. The season's much longer than a week." -- Stanton "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

      SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
      The Yankees and Orioles played 14 innings Friday night (with the O's winning, 7-3) before Sunday's marathon. It was the first Yankees home series with two games that went at least 12 innings since July 6-7, 1990, against the Twins. In that series, the Yankees lost a 2-0, 12-inning first game of a doubleheader, then won, 5-4, in 12 the following day. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

      MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
      The Yankees got a break in the bottom of the fifth inning, extending the fifth inning on a two-out replay review call that was overturned. Jace Peterson was ruled safe at first base after 51 seconds of review, beating out an infield hit to shortstop Manny Machado. The call brought Romine to the plate, and Romine singled off Miguel Castro down the right-field line to score another run and increase New York's lead to two. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-despite-five-run-first-inning/c-271319128

      Boston meanwhile comes into this series with New York with a record of 8-1 and have won eight straight with their most recent win coming against Tampa Bay.

      On an ice-cold day at Fenway Park in which temperatures hovered just above freezing, the Red Sox's bats caught fire at just the right time, exploding for six straight two-out hits to rally from a five-run deficit on Sunday to win their eighth straight game in dramatic fashion, 8-7, over the Rays. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      With the win, Boston moves to 8-1 for the first time in team history. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      Up until the eighth, the Sox had only four hits to their credit. Although Hanley Ramirez led off with a single, two outs quick followed. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      Mitch Moreland would bring Ramirez around with double off the Green Monster, sparking a rally that saw Rafael Devers follow with a two-run double and then Christian Vazquez and Mookie Betts with RBI singles off Rays closer Alex Colome to pull the hosts even. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game

      It takes one at a time and that's our mindset," said Betts. "We just kind of grinded through at-bats. [Colome's] a tough pitcher, but he left some pitches up today and we were able to put some good swings on it." according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      Andrew Benintendi capped the hit parade with his second RBI of the season after doubling in Betts with the go-ahead run. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      We had guys put together some really good at-bats, some timely hitting," said Brock Holt. "It was a really big inning for us. Couldn't really get anything going the whole game until that inning. I think it was kind of contagious in that last inning. We had a lot of good at-bats, fouled off some tough pitches and got some big hits." according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      After striking out the side in his debut inning this season, Eduardo Rodriguez was staked a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the frame, but it was short-lived as Rays designated hitter C.J. Cron took a 3-1 offering into the bleachers to lead off the second inning. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      The Rays then notched a run apiece from the third to sixth inning and two more in the seventh to make it 7-2, but it wasn't enough to put away the relentless Red Sox. Craig Kimbrel got the final three outs to preserve the victory and earn his third save of the season. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

       

      It wasn't all good news for the Red Sox, though, as shortstop Xander Bogaerts exited in the seventh inning after sustaining a left ankle injury. He will undergo further evaluation on Monday."according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
      Fighting them off: Vazquez, the fourth in the line of two-out hits in the eighth, battled vehemently to keep the Red Sox's hopes alive during the rally. The catcher took the first offering from Colome for a ball, but then battled against a steady diet of cutters from the Rays' closer, fouling off four straight before slicing a single off the same offering. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      Setup man: Though the Sox were trailing by five runs at the time, Carson Smith unknowingly came up with a huge strikeout for the Red Sox in the top of the eighth inning. After forcing two groundouts to start the inning, Smith walked Kevin Kiermaier, allowed a single to Gomez and then loaded the bases by walking Cron. Daniel Robertson, looking to extend Tampa Bay's lead, ran the count to 2-2 before Smith blew a 91-mph sinker by him to end the threat. "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      QUOTABLE
      "I wanted something that kind of everyone could relate to. Why not Whitney? I was a little nervous there for it to play in the situation that we were in. I think they might have turned the volume up, because I feel like it was a lot louder than everyone else's walkup song. I think I saw Matt Andriese actually laugh on the mound. But the crowd seemed to love it, so I don't know if I'm going to have to keep that or what. It's kind of obnoxious, but it was pretty cool in that moment."
      -- Holt, on using Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You" as his new walkup song "according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
      The thermometer said 38 degrees when the first pitch was thrown on Sunday. That tied for the second-lowest first-pitch temperature in Rays history. The coldest first-pitch temperature experienced by Tampa Bay was 34 degrees on April 17, 2003, also at Fenway Park."according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/red-sox-rally-vs-rays-to-win-8th-straight-game/c-271344966

      First pitch is set for 7:10pm from Fenway Park. The game will be televised on ESPN and Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-04