Sonny Gray Looks To Get Back On Track As New York Takes On Boston, Chris Sale

Every player is going to have bad outings at some point during the season and for Sonny Gray his last bad outing came at Tropicana Field against Tampa Bay but he will look to get back on track as he faces Chris Sale Of Boston on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.

New York comes into game two of the three -game series against their rival with a record of 53-26 and is in first place in the American League East while Boston meanwhile is second in the division with a record of 55-28. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

As stated above right -hander Sonny Gray will get the start for New York while Chris Sale will go for Boston. 

Sonny Gray comes into the game against Boston with a record of 5-5 with a 4.93 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/543243/sonny-gray

Gray will look to bounce back from a loss in his last start, when he surrendered four runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings to the Rays at Tropicana Field. He faced Boston on April 12, permitting six runs over three innings in a loss. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

Chris Sale meanwhile comes into the game against New York with a record of 7-4 with a 2.56 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/519242/chris-sale

The ace faces the Yankees after striking out nine or more batters in each of his past four outings. He tallied eight strikeouts, allowed eight hits, walked none and surrendered one run over six innings against the Yankees on April 10. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As for the opener between the two rivals, New York handled Boston.

There was a gleam in CC Sabathia's eyes as he stabbed a tapper to the first-base side of the mound, a rush of adrenaline momentarily erasing the consciousness that he has continued to work on a pair of balky knees. Charging toward the bag, he flipped the ball to Greg Bird, pumping his left fist before unleashing a PG-13-rated bellow. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

That weakly hit ball off Mookie Betts' bat marked the final pitch thrown by Sabathia on Friday evening, as the big man came through in another huge spot. Rising to the occasion for what he had called his club's most important games of the season, Sabathia hurled seven sparkling innings and led the Yankees to an 8-1 victory over the Red Sox on Friday evening. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

We played a good game against a good team," Sabathia said. "I know what this team is capable of. I'm confident in this team and this bunch. Hopefully we can keep going out and playing like this the rest of the season." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

The Yankees reclaimed the best record in the Majors as the "Baby Bombers" carried the offensive load behind Sabathia, with Bird enjoying the second multi-homer game of his career. Miguel Andujar and Aaron Judge also homered, powering New York to its Major League-leading 30th win at home."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

Working in front of a sellout crowd of 47,120, the Yankees' largest of the season, Sabathia limited Boston's potent lineup to a run on six hits in the 97-pitch effort. Less than a month shy of his 38th birthday, Sabathia improved to 7-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 12 starts against the Red Sox since the beginning of 2015. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

"He was great. He's been great all year," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "That might have been his best outing, and to kick off a homestand against them -- that was a really good offense that he was in complete command against. CC set the tone by controlling their offense for the most part." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

"We feed off that, just the energy he provides when he pounds the strike zone," Judge said. "He just dominates them. He doesn't miss a spot. It's fun to see out of him just pitching. I remember back in the day he used to go out there and throw 98, 99 [mph], but now he's pitching. It's fun to play defense behind a guy like that." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

New York thumped Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez for five runs and seven hits over six innings. Gleyber Torres legged out his first career triple and scored on an Andujar single in the second inning, then lifted a sacrifice fly that drove home the second run in the fourth. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-2

Andujar continued the inning by launching a two-run homer to left, his 12th, and Bird immediately followed by slamming an opposite-field drive to left for his fourth homer. Judge put the game out of reach in the seventh, blasting a two-run shot to right off former Fresno State teammate Justin Haley, his 21st of the season, and Bird capped the scoring by homering off Haley in the eighth. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

"It's been all year," Sabathia said. "Since all these guys came up, they've been the biggest part of our team, all these rookies. Aaron Judge last year, [Gary] Sanchez two years ago, now you've got Torres and Miggy. These guys come up here and they play like veterans." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

MOMENT THAT MATTERED
It may not have altered the final score, but Boone's decision to stick with Sabathia in the seventh inning generated goodwill with the hurler and the fans in attendance. Sabathia drilled No. 9 hitter Jackie Bradley Jr. with a two-out pitch, bringing up Betts, who had doubled in his last at-bat. With Chad Green ready in the bullpen, Boone gulped and decided that he would give Sabathia another chance to finish the seventh. "according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

"It meant a lot," Sabathia said. "I didn't even think about it because I'm just in it, but looking back, he could've just easily took me out right there for Betts. He stuck with me, and we got the out. ... Mookie is one of the best hitters in baseball. You don't ever want to give him a chance with a runner on base." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

SOUND SMART
Since the beginning of 2017, Sabathia is 12-0 with a 2.47 ERA in 18 regular-season starts following a Yankees loss. He has allowed one or zero runs in seven of his last 11 starts against the Red Sox, dating to Aug. 6, 2015. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

HE SAID IT
"I think it was just the emotion. High-stepping right there? I'm an old man. That was straight adrenaline." -- Sabathia, on his jog off the field after the top of the seventh "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-leads-yankees-to-win-vs-red-sox/c-283496954

First pitch is set for 7:15pm. The game will be televised on Fox. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-06