Masahiro Tanaka Looks To Put New York Alone In First Place In The American League East
Two teams tied at the top the American League East with identical records in New York and Boston.
Masahiro Tanaka will look to change that and put New York alone in first place when he takes the mound Wednesday night in the Bronx against New York's rival the Boston Red Sox.
The Japanese right-hander comes into game two against Boston with a record of 4-2 with a 4.39 earn run average. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33150/masahiro-tanaka The Yanks have won each of Tanaka's past three starts, and the righty has bounced back after allowing 13 runs combined in back-to back starts vs the Redsox and Marlins. Most recently he allowed three runs in six innings Thursday in Houston. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/red-sox-vs-yankees/2018/05/09/529950#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=529950 He will oppose Boston right-hander Rick Porcello who comes into the against New York with a record of 5-0 with a 2.14 earn run average. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/29966/rick-porcello The sinkerballer is off to a tremendous start, allowing three earned runs or fewer in all seven of his starts and going at least six innings in six of them. Porcello is 1-4 with a 5.17 earn run average in six career starts at Yankee Stadium. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy
As for New York and Boston's previous game, New York edged their rival and matched Boston's record of 25-10.
Aaron Judge's tie-breaking single lifted New York to its 16th win in 17 games on Tuesday evening, a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
"We've still got all the way to October to play. There's no panic," Judge said. "You never want to lose that many games early and get down like that, but we just trusted our team. Guys started getting comfortable and it started to click. It's still early; it's still May. We've just got to keep our head to the dirt and keep working." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
Fittingly, Judge's go-ahead knock came off of Joe Kelly, who had been at the center of the benches-clearing fireworks when the clubs last met in Boston. Neil Walker delivered a pinch-hit double and Heath Hembree issued walks to Gleyber Torres and Brett Gardner around a critical balk before Kelly was summoned to handle the bases-loaded, one-out jam, prompting vociferous boos from the crowd of 45,773. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
"You don't forget, but you've got to move on," Judge said. "You can't live in the past. There's nothing you can do about it. It happened, it got resolved and now it's time to play baseball." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
Judge got good wood on a 1-1 slider, pounding the ball into left field. Walker scored the go-ahead run easily and third-base coach Phil Nevin aggressively waved home Torres, who was thrown out at home plate by left fielder Andrew Benintendi."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
Chad Green and Aroldis Chapman recorded the final six outs to secure the Yanks' seventh consecutive victory. The Bombers are enjoying a 16-1 run that marks their best 17-game stretch since June 3-18, 1953, which was part of a larger 21-1 stretch. They have outscored opponents 101-39 over the span. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
"It's blinders on," manager Aaron Boone said. "We're playing good baseball, doing it a lot of different ways. Tonight was tough. Boston is really good. They battle, battle, battle; kind of hung around. It's just nice that we're racking up some wins here. Good to get this series off on a good note, and hopefully we can get one tomorrow." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
Giancarlo Stanton accounted for the Yankees' offense against starter Drew Pomeranz, enjoying his third multihomer game of the season by belting solo drives in the second and fourth innings. Stanton's eighth and ninth homers were hit to left and right field, respectively, landing in the seats hours after Boone declared that the slugger's breakout was "imminent." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
"As long as it's helping us win the game, it doesn't matter the opponent," Stanton said. "It's always a little sweeter with the rivalry." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
Despite dealing with a left index finger issue that required a lengthy mound visit in the second inning, Pomeranz had better luck with the rest of the Yankees' order, limiting New York to four hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out six. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
Luis Severino struck out 11 without a walk over six-plus strong innings, but he settled for a no-decision. Both of Boston's runs off Severino came as a result of defensive lapses. In the fifth inning, catcher Gary Sanchez could not corral a slider that bounced for a wild pitch, allowing Eduardo Nunez to reach base on a strikeout. Severino struck out the next two hitters before Mookie Betts and Benintendi singled, producing Boston's first run. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
"I definitely had a chance. I just couldn't block it, stop it, right there," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "And that contributed for Sevy to throw more pitches in that inning. I wanted to stop it and keep it there. Unfortunately, I couldn't do it." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
In the seventh, Nunez reached again after a 10-pitch at-bat, credited with an infield hit after first baseman Tyler Austin could not scoop a throw from shortstop Didi Gregorius. Nunez could have been erased on a caught stealing, had Torres been able to hold a throw from Sanchez at second base. Instead, Nunez raced home as Betts tripled past a sliding Gardner in left field, tying the game and saddling Severino with a no-decision. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
"They're good hitters," Severino said. "They were fighting off a lot of pitches. They have a great team. I was trying my best, but I was battling." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
SOUND SMART
The Yankees have won 10 consecutive home games, which establishes a new record for the current Yankee Stadium. It is their longest home winning streak since winning 10 straight from July 5-23, 2008, in the final year of the original Yankee Stadium. They have outscored opponents 69-27 during the current streak. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Judge made a strong, one-hop throw from the right-field corner in the third inning, cutting down Christian Vazquez at second base stretching a single. Judge's throw arrived in the perfect spot; Gregorius didn't even have to move his glove."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
"I put a little something on that," Judge said. "It was just a ball down the line. Vazquez is aggressive. I was able to get a good throw on it and Didi put a good tag on him." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
HE SAID IT
"A couple of times, I said to guys on the bench, 'I forgot how fun these were.'" - Boone "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-beat-red-sox-tied-for-first-place/c-275784136
First pitch is set for 7:05pm. The game will be televised on ESPN and YES. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-05