Sonny Gray Is Going For Third Straight Win As New York Looks To Bounce Back Against Kansas City

Sonny Gray has been going in the right direction lately in his first full season in pinstripes as he has picked up two straight wins and will try and  get his third straight win in the opener of this four -game series against Kansas City on Thursday night. 

New York comes who is a member of the American League East comes into the opener  of this three -game series against Kansas City with a record of 64-36 and is second in the American League East. Kansas City who is a member of the American League Central comes into the opener with a record of 31-70 and is last in the American League Central. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As stated above Sonny Gray will start the opener for New York, The right -hander comes into the game with a record of 7-7 with an earn run average of 5.34. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/543243/sonny-gray Gray is coming off consecutive wins for the first time since donning the pinstripes last August. In those two starts, the righty has permitted just two earned runs on six hits with 14 strikeouts over a combined 11 1/3 innings."according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy He will oppose Kansas City right -hander Jakob Junis who comes into the game with a record of 5-10 with a 5.03 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/596001/jakob-junis Junis will open up the series for the Royals in New York on Thursday. In his first start since coming off the disabled list on Saturday against the Twins, he allowed one run in four innings while being on a limited pitch count. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As for New York's previous game, They lost the finale to Tampa Bay.

New York starter Luis Cessa had been rolling through the first five innings against Tampa Bay with an early lead, but things quickly unraveled for the Yankees in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to a pair of home runs by the Rays. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

That proved to be the difference, as the Yankees' offense was held in check in a number of high-leverage situations, dropping the rubber match in a three-game series at Tropicana Field, 3-2, on Wednesday afternoon. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

That's a tough loss today after the first game of the series," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "We didn't have quite enough today. Frustrating with a couple of losses [this series] that could have gone either way. We've got to move on quickly and go kick off a nice homestand." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

Cessa started the sixth by giving up a single to right field before Kevin Kiermaier sent an offering over the right-field wall for the two-run blast. Jonathan Holder promptly replaced Cessa and proceeded to get two quick outs, but C.J. Cron went ahead and hit his own big fly for an insurance run. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

Coming into the day, New York had expected to go up against right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, but prior to game time, Eovaldi was traded to Boston. The deal meant that the Yankees would be up against a "bullpen day" for the Rays. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

That didn't mean New York didn't have its opportunities, though, and Boone didn't want to use that as an excuse. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

"That's part of the game, and we're prepared to roll with anything," Boone said. "They're guys we've seen, and it's obviously a different style than what you're normally accustomed to seeing, but our guys are prepared. It's something they leveraged, worked in their favor because it is a little different, but you have to have the ability to adjust to it." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

Gleyber Torres, fresh off the disabled list, walked to begin the second inning against Jaime Schultz. Greg Bird followed with a bunt single before a Miguel Andujar fly ball allowed Torres to advance. Neil Walker hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Torres, but a flyout ended the inning, with the Yanks claiming a 1-0 lead. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

In the top of the fourth, slugger Giancarlo Stanton ripped a ball to deep left field with an exit velocity of 101 mph, but Joey Wendle was able to track it down at the warning track, a couple feet shy of a home run. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

Most notably, in the top of the eighth, Stanton was at the plate with runners on the corners and one out. He brought home one run on a sacrifice fly. But Torres was unable to capitalize any further, as Sergio Romo got him to swing and miss on a 3-2 count to end the inning. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

Finally, in the top of the ninth with a runner on first, the Yankees' offense got a lift when a missed catch by Matt Duffy covering second allowed Andujar to reach the bag and Aaron Hicks to reach first. But an Austin Romine popout gave New York two outs, and a Brett Gardner strikeout ended the game. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

"We just didn't have a great game," Gardner said. "I thought Cessa threw the ball well early in the game. Obviously, they scored a few runs in the sixth, but that shouldn't be enough to hold us down. We have to do better." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

With the loss, New York's record fell to 64-36 -- enough for a sizeable 4 1/2-game cushion for first place the American League Wild Card race, though it is still 5 1/2 games back of Boston in the AL East. Gardner had a simple answer on what needs to go right. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

"We just have to play better baseball," Gardner said. "We can't worry about what other teams are doing, especially when we're not playing them. We just have to go out and win games. It doesn't matter who we're playing. We have a lot of baseball left." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

SOUND SMART
Of the 12 runs scored by New York in the series, none were via a home run. It marks the first time since Sept. 2-4, 2016, against the Orioles that the Yankees were held without a homer in series of at least three games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

HE SAID IT
"It's still July. We've been doing this long enough to know there's a lot of games left against the team in front of us, and we have to just get out of Tampa." -- Gardner, on the struggles at Tropicana Field, where the Yankees are just 1-5 this season "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-struggles-in-loss-to-rays/c-287270282

Like New York, Kansas City is also coming off a loss their previous game as they lost to Detroit.

The Royals were unable to send Mike Moustakas off with a win in what could be his final home game at Kauffman Stadium. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

Moustakas went 2-for-5 with an RBI in an 8-4 loss to the Tigers in the rubber game on Wednesday afternoon. With the Royals now embarking on a 10-game road trip ahead of Tuesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, Moustakas' name has been prominent in trade rumors among contending clubs. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

"A lot of people keep asking me about the Deadline," Moustakas told the Kansas City Star after Tuesday's game. "I keep going out there and keep saying the same exact thing: I can't focus on that. None of us can. That stuff's out of our control. You start focusing on things like that, that's when you start getting into trouble. For all of us in here, we keep going out there, we keep doing the right things, keep playing the game hard, and whatever [GM Dayton Moore] feels what's best for the organization, that's what Dayton's gonna do." "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

The slugging third baseman reached with a single in his first at-bat on Wednesday, and after Whit Merrifield stole second in the fifth, Moustakas knocked him in with a double. Alex Gordon also had an RBI double in the second inning, while Merrifield and Rosell Herrera added run-scoring hits in the ninth. With Herrera on, Moustakas struck out to end the game. "according tohttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

Moustakas has spent eight seasons with the Royals, including a pair of deep postseason runs that culminated in a pair of American League pennants and a World Series title in 2015. His handprints were all over both playoff runs, most notably in his closing out both pennant-clinching games with grounders to him at third. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

This isn't the first time Moustakas has potentially bid farewell at The K. Along with Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Jason Vargas, he received an emotional ovation from the crowd in last season's finale that brought him to tears as all were expected to depart in free agency. Moustakas and Escobar returned on one-year deals. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

Royals starter Danny Duffy was unable to maintain his upward swing, returning to his shaky ways with a line of 5 2/3 innings, nine hits and seven runs allowed. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

He just wasn't quite as sharp today," manager Ned Yost said. "I think five of the nine hits that he gave up were balls kind of off the end of the bat where they were just out front a little bit on some of the secondary stuff." "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

The left-hander took the bulk of his damage in the fourth when he walked John Hicks to start the inning and allowed a single to Victor Martinez. Hicks eventually scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

Another single by JaCoby Jones put runners on the corners for Jose Iglesias, who planted a first-pitch fastball from Duffy into the left-field bullpen to make it 5-1. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

"I missed my spot to Iglesias," Duffy said. "He's a good hitter. He turned and burned on that fastball. That was the one that really hurt me. I think I kind of lost my command for about seven pitches in that span in that inning, and it came back to bite me." "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

A second wild pitch from Duffy taxed him for another run later in the sixth as Iglesias raced home before Salvador Perez could field the ball. Victor Reyes, who advanced to second on the wild pitch, scored on Jeimer Candelario's single to center. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

Glenn Sparkman tossed 2 1/3 innings of impressive relief, allowing just one hit and striking out two. It was just his fourth appearance for the Royals since being called up at the beginning of this month. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

"Felt good," Sparkman said. "Just went out there and did my job, and covered some innings." "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
In the fourth inning, Ronny Rodriguez sent a hard grounder to Escobar's right. The Gold Glove shortstop ranged over to make the stop and delivered a lofting throw off his back foot to the stretching Hunter Dozier at first base for the out. "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

HE SAID IT
"I saw Lorenzo Cain do that a million times when he was with us. I can't be upset with that. They did a good job of putting the bat out there, and it was able to fall." -- Duffy, on the pesky bloop singles he allowed multiple times "according to https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/danny-duffy-labors-as-royals-drop-rubber-game/c-287236276

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on Major League Baseball Network and Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-07