Masahiro Tanaka Opens The Two-Game Series As New York Host Baltimore

After an off day  New York will host Baltimore for a quick two-game series starting Tuesday night.

New York who is in second place in the American League East comes into the opener with a record of 67-37 while Baltimore meanwhile is last in the division and comes into the opener with a record of 32-74. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

Japanese right -hander Masahiro Tanaka will start the game  for New York. He comes into the game with a record of 8-2 with a 4.09 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/547888/masahiro-tanaka Tanaka threw a shutout against the Rays last time out, striking out nine for his eighth win of the year. So far in July, he's posted a 2.29 ERA in 19 2/3 innings over three starts. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy He will oppose Baltimore right -hander Yefry Ramirez who comes into the game with a record of 1-3 with a 3.49 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/606162/yefry-ramirez Ramirez is riding high after earning his first Major League win in his last outing, against the Red Sox. The former Yankee will face off against his old team once again after allowing four runs over four innings on July 9. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As for New York's previous game, New York not only won the series over Kansas City but J.A. Happ recorded his first win as a member of the Yankees.

- On Saturday, before he even stepped on the field for the first time as a Yankee, J.A. Happ said that putting on the pinstripes already felt right. Then, on Sunday, the left-hander proved just how good he felt after a solid debut in the Bronx for his new club. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

Happ tossed six sparkling innings, permitting just one run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in the Yankees' 6-3 victory in the series finale against the Royals. The victory was Happ's first win since June 25 after he recorded three losses and a no-decision in his last four starts for Toronto. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

Look, as I've told you guys, I'm a big J.A. Happ guy," manager Aaron Boone said. "Just seeing him come in here with the intensity, with the focus, but also just really comfortable, it seems like he's already fitting in well. ... For him to go out and give us a strong outing like he did, I'm sure he feels really good about that, and hopefully it just goes a long way to getting him settled in, because he's going to be important for us, obviously, in the second half." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

Pitching for a team that made it clear it was on a quest for help in the pitching department prior to Tuesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, Happ felt pressure to make a good first impression after he was acquired to be part of the solution. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

"I think I'd be lying if I said [I didn't feel pressure]," Happ said. "I think for sure you're definitely wanting to have good results. They traded for you, there's some pressure in that. It's fun with these guys playing behind me, too. We had some nice defensive plays that helped me get through six there." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

Happ's lone mistake came in his final inning, on a 3-2 fastball that Salvador Perez launched into the Yankees' bullpen. Chad Green came in to start the seventh -- after Happ threw 96 pitches, exiting the game with a 6-1 Yankees lead -- and allowed a solo home run to Hunter Dozier. The Royals picked up their other run in the eighth, when Rosell Herrera took David Robertson deep for his first career home run. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

"It's huge for us," catcher Austin Romine said of Happ's performance. "That's why we got him. He knows how to pitch, he's been in situations before where he's got to pitch well, so today was a really professional performance. His demeanor on the mound is calm, like he's been here before. It was weird, it was almost like I caught him before, [we were] so much on the same page. He was just so calm, cool and collected the way he goes about pitching. Great performance by him." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

After bringing in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning on Saturday night, Aaron Hicks got the Yankees' offense started in the first, clanking a two-run home run off the right-field foul pole as part of a three-hit day. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

"I feel like the last couple days we're starting to see a lot of good at-bats from [Hicks], this weekend especially," Boone said. "Got us off to a good start on the homer, and I thought [it was] a really good swing on a breaking ball where he hits the double. ... It was nice to see him have a big impact early and get us out to a lead." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

Miguel Andujar plated Hicks in the fourth on a single to center off Royals starter Burch Smith, who allowed five runs on five hits through four-plus innings. Greg Bird knocked in another on an infield single in the fifth after a run scored on a Gleyber Torres groundout that was originally ruled an inning-ending double play before being overturned. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

The Yankees picked up an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Giancarlo Stanton, and Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in his second consecutive outing to record his 28th save of the season. The closer had struck out only three of his previous 16 batters faced entering Sunday. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

"To get him into games is always good, because one, we're winning, obviously, and it's usually a save situation, but also, we do like our guys getting out there when it's been a long time, just to help them stay sharp," Boone said. "I think back-to-back days, good performances by him, [there were] some really good sliders that he mixed in today to finish things off." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

SOUND SMART
Happ is the first pitcher to start a game for both the Yankees and Blue Jays in the same season since David Cone in 1995. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

HE SAID IT
"Happ? [I couldn't tell], not even a little bit. He's so calm in the way he goes around the mound and the way he pitches and his delivery and everything like that. If he was, I couldn't see it. I thought it was business as usual. He was on the glove, and he was making pitches. It was fun to catch." -- Romine, on Happ saying he was "amped up" in the first inning of his Yankees debut "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fifth, Torres hit a ground ball to Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield. Merrifield charged the ball, reached out to apply a tag on Hicks -- who was running to second -- and flipped the ball to first to get Torres. But what was originally ruled an inning-ending double play was overturned when the Yankees challenged, asking for a second look to see if Hicks had been tagged on his way to second. It was then ruled that Merrifield missed the tag; only the out at first was recorded, extending the inning and allowing Brett Gardner to cross the plate to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/ja-happ-delivers-6-strong-ip-in-yankees-win/c-287909724

As for Baltimore they also won their previous game,

The indication that the Orioles are tearing down shop didn't reach the lineup this past series against Tampa Bay. The Baltimore offense erupted once again Sunday, routing the Rays in an 11-5 win to make it a combined 37 runs in three of four wins in the series. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

It was on the back of two homers from Chris Davis, Jonathan Schoop's seventh home run in his last nine games, Austin Wynns' second career homer and, to top it all off, a much-needed bounce-back performance from Dylan Bundy. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

"I think we caught Tampa with their pitching a little bit down. But every time it looked like they were going to get back in it, the guys answered," manager Buck Showalter said."according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

While the bats continued their breaths of new life Sunday, the eyes were all on Bundy. The righty has had his name brought up in trade talks recently as the Orioles head into a rebuild. But being under team control until 2021, Bundy's place may instead be at the forefront of the rebuild, not an afterthought. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

"You just have to go out there and play," Bundy said of limiting the distractions. "There's people coming and going all the time in the clubhouse. You just have to go out there and perform and try to win a ballgame." "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

Bundy allowed just four hits -- albeit three solo homers, two to C.J. Cron -- in seven innings Sunday -- his first outing since June 23 where he didn't allow five runs. In the 2018 season, Bundy has already matched his home run total of 26 from 2017. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

Sunday also could have been the final time several other Orioles showed up to Camden Yards as members of the home team with Tuesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline looming. Danny Valencia, Schoop, Kevin Gausman and Bundy are the likeliest of candidates, while it was announced Adam Jones will not be traded before Tuesday. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

But the Orioles' offense didn't get the memo it could potentially be reimagined in the coming days. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

"We used to be good at that," Showalter said of the offense never ceasing to pounce. "So it's good to see that coming out where we answered and expanded on the leads."  "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Jones sets the tone early: Jones drew a walk in the first inning after falling behind 1-2, but the veteran wasn't done making his presence known that inning. He broke up a potential inning-ending double play with a hard slide into second, scoring a run and giving additional breath to the inning. Next batter up, Davis hit the first of his two homers on the day to make it a 3-0 Orioles first inning. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

Schoop doesn't quit: Schoop saw the MLB record for most consecutive games with a home run for a second baseman get stolen at the wall last night, so he made up for it Sunday. He sent a three-run shot to deep left-center field to put a final dagger in the Rays. It was his seventh homer in the past nine games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

SOUND SMART
Bundy conceded 26 homers in 169 2/3 innings pitched in 2017. In 2018, he's matched that total in 114 1/3 innings pitched. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

Jones stole his 85th base in an Orioles jersey in the second inning Sunday, tying him with Don Buford for 10th all time on the Orioles' list. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
It's Joey Rickard's world, and we're all just living in it. On a Jace Peterson RBI single, the outfielder tried to take third on a throw home. The throw from Michael Perez arrived ahead of him, but Rickard utilized a nifty slide to avoid the tag. "according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/os-hit-four-homers-in-series-win-over-rays/c-287945608

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on MASN and Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-yankees/2018/07/31/531010#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=531010