CC Sabathia, New York Look To Win Their Second Straight Over Kansas City
The veteran left-hander CC Sabathia who is in his eighteenth season will start game two of the four game series as New York takes on Kansas City where they will be looking for their second straight win over a team who is last in their division.
New York comes into the game with a record of 65-36 and is in second place in the American League East. Kansas City meanwhile comes into the game against New York with a record of 31-71 and is in last place in the American League Central. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/
As stated above, CC Sabathia will start the game for New York.
CC Sabathia comes into the game with a record of 6-4 with a 3.51 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/282332/cc-sabathia Originally slated to start on Tuesday, Sabathia will be working on extra rest after a rainout on Sunday altered the rotation. The lefty took a no-decision in his final start before the break, allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Tribe. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy He will oppose Kansas City right -hander Brad Keller who comes into the game against New York with a record of 3-4 with a 3.20 earn run average. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy Keller will take the mound for the Royals in Game 2 at Yankee Stadium. The rookie bounced back from a couple rough starts on Sunday against the Twins, tossing seven-plus strong innings while allowing three runs."according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy
As for New York and Kansas City's previous game, New York won the opener of the four-game series.
Sonny Gray picked up his third straight win while Zach Britton made his debut in pinstripes after spending his first eight seasons with Baltimore who like New York is a member of the American League East.
The acquisition of left-hander Zach Britton added depth to an already deep Yankees bullpen, giving the club reassurance if a starter would have to exit the game early. When right-hander Sonny Gray's solid night was cut short after getting hit in the hand with a comebacker, the Yankees' game plan was on full display. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
Gray tossed five stellar innings of three-hit ball, allowing just two walks and striking out five, and Britton worked a scoreless eighth inning in his Yankees debut to lead New York to a 7-2 victory over Kansas City on Thursday evening at Yankee Stadium. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
It was a bittersweet victory for the Yankees, who pulled within 4 1/2 games of first-place Boston, because they lost Aaron Judge after he sustained a chip fracture of his right wrist (ulnar styloid bone) on a hit-by-pitch in the first inning. The Yankees said that it will be at least three weeks before Judge will be able to swing a bat in a game situation, but surgery was not recommended. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
Just one inning after Judge was pulled from the game, Gray was looked at by the Yankees' training staff after the comebacker in the fifth, but he remained on the mound for the remainder of the inning. With runners on second and third and two outs, the right-hander escaped the jam by striking out Rosell Herrera. But after throwing just 75 pitches, Gray did not come back out for the sixth inning because of the injury. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
"It feels OK," Gray said. "It kind of just got me on the side, kind of my thumb. I don't think it's anything too serious. Once you sit down, you can kind of feel throbbing, and I think they wanted to be cautious and get out of the game there and move forward. I mean, I fully expect to pitch in five, six days, whenever my next start is." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Gray would get an X-ray after the game just for precautionary reasons. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
"He's been examined by the doctors," Boone said. "We think it's just the muscle part of the thumb." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
The Yankees gave Gray an early 2-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly by Giancarlo Stanton and another run scored on an error by shortstop Adalberto Mondesi. In the fourth, Austin Romine doubled in a run to deep left-center field before Didi Gregorius launched the Yankees' first home run in four games, a three-run blast to right for his 18th of the season off Royals starter Jakob Junis, who allowed seven runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings. The team picked up an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Greg Bird in the fifth. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
Just four pitches after Gray was pulled, Adam Warren gave up a two-run homer to Salvador Perez to get the Royals on the board, but David Robertson, Britton and Chasen Shreve shut the Kansas City offense down for the remainder of the game. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
"That was what was unfortunate," Gray said. "I felt really good and then get hit in the hand, and then you kind of battle through the fifth there. I felt good. That was what kind of sucked there a little bit, not being able to continue on in the game, but the bullpen came in and did a great job. We got an early lead and we were able to come away with the win." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
In his first time in pinstripes, Britton induced two groundouts and struck out Perez for a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 inning. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
After a walk loaded the bases with two outs in the third inning, Mike Moustakas came to the plate with the Royals trailing, 2-0. Gray worked a 1-2 count before striking Moustakas out on an 83.3-mph curveball to escape the jam. Gray let out a big roar in celebration as he walked off the mound. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
"In some of the bad [starts] early [in the season], I would have two outs with a runner on second and third or a runner on first and third, something with that nature, and give up a three-run homer or a two-run double or give up the big hit," Gray said. "I've really tried to lock in in those particular moments of the game and those particular at-bats of the game, and really bear down and do whatever it takes to get those guys out. Lately, I've been getting the guys out when there's two outs and a couple of runners on. Hopefully, I continue to do that and get on a little bit of a roll there." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
"In some of the bad [starts] early [in the season], I would have two outs with a runner on second and third or a runner on first and third, something with that nature, and give up a three-run homer or a two-run double or give up the big hit," Gray said. "I've really tried to lock in in those particular moments of the game and those particular at-bats of the game, and really bear down and do whatever it takes to get those guys out. Lately, I've been getting the guys out when there's two outs and a couple of runners on. Hopefully, I continue to do that and get on a little bit of a roll there." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
SOUND SMART
In his last three starts, Gray has gone 3-0 with a 1.10 ERA. On Thursday night, Gray recorded three straight wins for the first time since July 5-19, 2017. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
"I think he's getting into some better rhythms," Boone said. "I think he's simplified a little bit in the stuff. More counts where he's ahead in the count, so he's dictating counts and I think really the last few starts, there's been a lot of times where he has gotten in that jam, he's made some really good pitches." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Aaron Hicks helped end the game in dramatic fashion by nailing Alex Gordon -- who ran through third-base coach Mike Jirschele's stop sign on Whit Merrifield's single -- at the plate from center field. Hicks' throw clocked in at 98.7 mph, according to Statcast™, which is the sixth-hardest outfield assist in the Majors this year. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
"When I picked my head up, I saw the third-base coach was stopping him, but I still put a good throw and I was able to get him out," Hicks said. "I felt really good. I felt like the throw was on line, and if it was on line, I was going to be able to get him out. That's what happened." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/sonny-gray-zach-britton-lead-yankees-to-win/c-287544870
First pitch is set for 7:05pm. The game will be televised on Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-07