Masahiro Tanaka Gets The Start As New York Takes On Texas

New York will look to win their second straight game of this four -game series  against Texas while Texas meanwhile will look to bounce back. 

New York who is a member Of the American League East  comes into the game with a record of 72-42 while Texas who is a member of the American League West comes into  the game with a record of 51-66. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

Masahiro Tanaka will start for New York.

The Japanese right -hander comes into the game with a record of 9-2 with a  3.76 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/547888/masahiro-tanaka Tanaka has been solid since returning from double hamstring injuries. Since his activation on July 10, Tanaka owns a 1.78 ERA in 5 starts (30 1/3 innings) with 36 K's against seven walks. He allowed four runs in five frames vs. Texas on May 21. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy He will oppose Texas left-hander Mike Minor who comes into the game against New York with a record of 8-6 with a 4.53 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/501985/mike-minor Minor allowed one run in seven innings in a win over the O's on Saturday and is 4-2 with a 3.26 ERA in his past 10 starts. He is 3-4 with a 6.50 ERA in nine starts on the road this season. He will start vs. the Yanks for the first time since 2012. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As for the opener between New York and Texas, 

New York won the opener. 

Giancarlo Stanton set a Statcast™ mark with his 28th home run, and Neil Walker homered from both sides of the plate for the first time in his career as the Yankees hit five homers for a 7-3 victory over the Rangers in the series opener at Yankee Stadium, extending their win streak to four games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

Aaron Hicks went deep in the first inning, Miguel Andujar and Walker hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth and Stanton delivered an absolute heater in the fifth, all off rookie starter Ariel Jurado, who allowed six runs through five frames in his Bronx debut. Stanton's laser was the hardest-hit home run since Statcast™ started tracking in 2015, registering 121.7 mph on the clock and surpassing Aaron Judge's 121.1-mph mark. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

"When you get all of it, it's pretty much one feeling. I can't tell you that I know exactly what the miles per hour is," Stanton said. "I mean, it's cool when you get the numbers like that, but, in general, if it goes over the fence, it goes over the fence. If it doesn't, it doesn't. I've seen balls 95 miles an hour go over, so as long as you get enough." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

The players in the Yankees' dugout, however, knew that this one was different from the rest. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

"That's one of those in today's game, you see it hit off the bat and everyone's just like taken aback," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "You're like, 'All right, where's it going to land?' And you take a look at the scoreboard at the exit velocity and everyone's like, 'I think that's the hardest one we've seen.' It really is amazing how hard he hits the ball when he really squares it up." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

Prior to Stanton's blast, Andujar launched an 85.5-mph, first-pitch slider 405 feet into left-center field, as projected by Statcast™, for his 16th home run of the season. Just three pitches later, Walker followed with his fifth homer of the year, sending a 1-1 pitch to the second deck in right field just inside the foul pole. Walker squeaked his second home run of the night just over the left-field fence off Rangers reliever Matt Moore. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-ra

"It's pretty special in terms of being a switch-hitter, for sure," Walker said. "I think when you're barreling balls up just from both sides of the plate -- especially in the same game or same series, regardless of the outcome -- that's kind of your goal as a switch-hitter. That's kind of the mentality of what you're trying to accomplish, and that's a good sign that the timing and rhythm are where they need to be." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

Hicks started the home run frenzy with two outs and a runner on in the first, blasting his 20th of the season and further extending his career high. Prior to the season starting, Hicks said that his goal was to hit at least 20 home runs in 2018. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

"I wanted to try to hit 20, and ultimately staying healthy throughout the whole year was big for me. I was able to do that today," Hicks said. "I think me and Judge were talking about it when I had 18. I kind of wanted to go 19, 20 and not get stuck on 19. It was fun to be able to do it this soon." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

Hicks is now the fourth Yankee to reach 20 homers this season along with Stanton (28), Judge (26) and Didi Gregorius (20), leading all Major League clubs. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

The Yankees' offense gave plenty of support to starter J.A. Happ, who made his second start in pinstripes and first since coming off the disabled list with hand, foot and mouth disease. Happ logged his 10th quality start of the year, permitting three runs on four hits -- including a fourth-inning homer by Jurickson Profar and a two-run double by Shin-Soo Choo in the fifth -- with nine strikeouts through six innings. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

"I tried not to overthink that part of it," Happ said of returning from his virus. "I felt fine physically, so I was just trying to go out there and have confidence from the get-go. So I was definitely focused on trying to attack." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

SOUND SMART
According to STATS, Yankees starting pitchers have recorded at least eight strikeouts in five consecutive starts for the first time in franchise history during the live ball era, and the ninth time in Major League history. They have gone 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA and 47 strikeouts over the streak. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

HE SAID IT
"I mean, I think it was at like 17 degrees or something, so for the rest of us, I think that's just a normal base hit, and now for him it's a homer. It's special. The way that he's able to make contact with a baseball, it's God-given." -- Hicks, on Stanton's home run "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-5-home-runs-in-win-over-rangers/c-289639008

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-08