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BASEBALL

Luis Severino, CC Sabathia Tabbed For The Doubleheader As New York Takes On Kansas City

As it has been the case often this season  New York is playing another doubleheader after being rained out.

New York who is a member of the American League East comes into the doubleheader with a record of 65-36 while Kansas City who is a member of the American League Central comes into the doubleheader with a record of 31-71."according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

Right -hander Luis Severino will start the first game of the doubleheader. He has a record of 14-3 with a 2.63 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/622663/luis-severino Severino was roughed up in his last start vs. the Rays on Monday, yielding seven runs (six earned) in five innings and losing just his third game of the year. He last pitched against the Royals on May 19, earning a win and posting a quality start. "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 with a record of 3-4 with a 3.20 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/641745/brad-keller Keller will take the mound for the Royals in the opener of the twin bill at Yankee Stadium. The rookie bounced back from a couple rough starts on Sunday against the Twins, tossing  -plus strong innings while allowing three runs. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As for the second game CC Sabathia will get the start for New York. He comes into the game with a record of 6-4 with a 3.51 earn run average. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy 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 Heath Fillmyer who comes into the game with a record of 0-1 with a 2.82 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/641571/heath-fillmyer Fillmyer will start the nightcap at Yankee Stadium. The rookie right-hander was dominant in his last outing, tossing 6 2/3 innings and allowing only one earned run in a no-decision against the Tigers in just his second career start. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As for the opener of the four-game series between New York and Kansas City, New York won the opener on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. 

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 for the first game of the doubleheader will start at 1:05pm while the second game will start at 7:05pm. The first game will be televised on Major League Baseball Network while the second game will be televised on Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-07