New York Looks To Bounce Back In The Opener Against Tampa Bay

After losing the finale of the two-game set against Washington New York will look to bounce back when they host Tampa Bay starting Thursday for a four-game series. 

New York who is a member of the American League East comes into the game against Tampa Bay with a record of 43-20 while Tampa Bay who is also apart of that division has a record of 32-35. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/

Right -hander Domingo German will get the start for New York. He comes into the game with a record of 0-4 with a 5.32 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/593334/domingo-german German is looking for his first win of the year in his first career outing against the Rays. Last time out, the righty picked up his first quality start since May 6, allowing three runs over six innings against the Mets. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy He will oppose Tampa Bay right -hander Blake Snell who comes into the game against New York with a record of 8-3 with a 2.30 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/605483/blake-snell Snell has won four consecutive decisions, matching the longest winning streak of his career (third time). He is 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA over his last four starts. Since his Aug. 8 recall last season, he is 13-4 with a 2.52 ERA "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As stated above, New York lost to Washington. 

Over the last two-plus seasons, the Yankees have had the pleasure of watching several talented young players enjoy near-immediate success at the big league level. They witnessed another such performance on Wednesday, but this time, Juan Soto was in the opposing dugout."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

The 19-year-old phenom homered twice, slugging a three-run shot off Sonny Gray and a deciding blast off Chasen Shreve, lifting the Nationals to a 5-4 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Soto's seventh-inning homer off Shreve marked the first run allowed by a Yankees reliever in 22 2/3 innings, dating to June 4 at Detroit. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

"He has power; super young, a good hitter," Shreve said. "I missed my spot. If you miss your spot to any big league hitter, they're going to get you when you're behind in the count. ... I didn't do my job. We lost the game because of it." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

Greg Bird hit his third homer to break a 2-for-23 stretch, and rookie Gleyber Torres belted his 12th for the Yankees, who touched touted prospect Erick Fedde for four runs and six hits over five innings. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-ho

Despite throwing 34 pitches in the first inning, Gray held the Nats to an Anthony Rendon sacrifice fly, then settled down with the help of two pickoffs. Gray had two outs and the bases empty in the fourth, but permitted a walk and a hit before Soto lifted a fly ball that barely cleared the left-field fence as Brett Gardner ran out of room. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

"I thought it was a foul ball," Gray said. "I was watching the hitter's reaction. I thought it was a foul ball and I thought that if it was fair, Gardy was going to be able to make a play. It kept carrying and carrying. That's kind of how it goes." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

Soto's homer off Shreve, a 436-foot drive to a porch area that overlooks the Yankees' bullpen, was decidedly more well-struck. At 19 years and 231 days, Soto is the youngest player to hit a regular-season homer in the Bronx since Ken Griffey Jr. enjoyed a two-homer game on May 30, 1989, at the original Yankee Stadium. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

"He's been really good since he came up," manager Aaron Boone said of Soto, who began his season in Class A ball. "From where he started this year to be here, there's good reason. We got a peek at it tonight. A couple big swings that beat us ultimately, but obviously a good-looking young player." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

Seven of the eight homers that Gray has surrendered this season have come at home. He worked five innings in a no-decision, permitting four runs and seven hits. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
After Soto's second homer gave Washington back the lead, the Yankees had a scoring opportunity in the eighth, as Didi Gregorius worked a one-out walk and Giancarlo Stanton raked his third hit of the game, a single to left field. Ryan Madson recovered to strike out Aaron Hicks and got Miguel Andujar to fly out to left field. The Yankees were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving five men on. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

"That's going to happen from time to time," Boone said. "The thing we want to do is create traffic. The more consistently we do that, that's when, over time, the results will be there. And for the most part, they have been. That's baseball. That's going to happen. You're not always going to get the hits." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Gregorius made a sparkling play to rob Rendon of a hit in the top of the ninth inning, diving to his right to field a sharp grounder and then firing across his body while falling to the turf. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/greg-bird-gleyber-torres-homer-in-yanks-loss/c-281114520

As for Tampa Bay's previous game, Unlike New York who lost Tampa Bay on the other hand defeated Toronto. 

Tampa Bay's bullpen certainly pulled its weight in the three-game series against Toronto, which ended Wednesday afternoon with a 1-0 walk-off win at Tropicana Field. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

Matt Duffy's RBI single with two outs in the ninth drove home Mallex Smith and delivered the win, giving the Rays a sweep of the Blue Jays, moving the team to 32-35. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

Well, it's two days in a row where the bullpen came up and picked us up in a big win," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "We won the last two ballgames because of their performance. Whether they're opening, starting -- whatever you want to call it. But they're really providing a lot for us at this point. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

"To be able to shut a team down for nine innings is very challenging for a team to do in this league. [The bullpen] did it. They pieced it together really well. And then Duffy comes up and gets the big hit." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

No starting pitchers found their way to the mound for Tampa Bay during the 27 innings played in the series, the second time that's happened this season. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

Wilmer Font started for the Rays, and he struggled with command early on, throwing 28 pitches in the first. Had Font been forced to exit the game, Tampa Bay would have been in a lurch. Instead, the right-hander righted the ship and pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

"It was a big boost for us," Cash said. "The first inning he looked like he was kind of feeling his way through it a little bit. I give him a lot of credit for sitting down and figuring out that he just needed to let it go a little bit more. And he did that, and got a little more efficient and got deep. Our goal was to get him a little deeper than what we typically do. ... He really threw well after that first inning." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

Matt Andriese added 3 2/3 scoreless innings, then Diego Castillo finished off the final two innings to pick up the win. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

The bullpen allowed just five runs in the series, and just one run in the final two games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

"It just shows what good of arms we have [in the bullpen]," Andriese said. "We go out there to compete. Whenever we're called upon, we go out there and try to do our jobs. Today was impressive just to have every guy step up. Font, myself, Castillo. Just throw up zeroes. It's good to try and get our team rolling. And then to pull that off with the walk-off win, it's huge." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Mallex sets the table: Smith's one-out double got the Rays going in the ninth. The speedster moved to third on a groundout to bring Duffy to the plate. After watching strike one, he connected on a 94-mph fastball and drove it through the gap between third and short. Smith raced home with the game's only run and Duffy was mobbed at first base. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

"In my mind, once Mallex got to third there, I just thought, 'OK, really make sure you get out of the box extra hard here in case it's a ground ball,'" Duffy said. "I just wanted to give myself the best chance to beat it out in case it's an infield hit." "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

Font works out of trouble: Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ was dominant from the outset, but Font was able to escape jams to keep runs off of the board early. Font induced a crucial double play to end the second inning, keeping a potential rally from gaining steam, and allowing Cash to limit his bullpen usage to three relievers. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

Font works out of trouble: Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ was dominant from the outset, but Font was able to escape jams to keep runs off of the board early. Font induced a crucial double play to end the second inning, keeping a potential rally from gaining steam, and allowing Cash to limit his bullpen usage to three relievers. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-of

SOUND SMART
Seunghwan Oh hit C.J. Cron with a pitch in the sixth inning, which marked the 13th time Cron has been hit by a pitch this season. That leaves the Rays slugger 11 shy of Brandon Guyer's club record of 24 set in 2015. "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

HE SAID IT
"A lot of confidence. The pressure is off at this point. We are starting to roll a little bit, feeling good, and we are going to keep that going." -- Jake Bauers, on how much confidence the sweep gives the Rays heading to New York to play the Yankees "according to https://www.mlb.com/rays/news/rays-walk-off-sweep-jays-without-true-starter/c-281099550

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on FS1. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-06