New York Returns To The Bronx To Take On Chicago

After playing six games on the road that included two in Miami and four in Baltimore New York heads back to the Bronx where they will open up a three -game series against the Chicago Whitesox.

New York comes into the opener of the three game series with a record of 83-47 and is in second place in the American League East. Chicago who is a member of the American League Central comes into the opener with a record of 51-79 and is fourth in their division. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/

Masahiro Tanaka will start the opener for New York. The Japanese right -hander comes into the game with a record of 9-4 with a 3.90 earn run average. "according to  http://m.mlb.com/player/547888/masahiro-tanaka Tanaka was encouraged by his last outing, spinning six innings of one-run, four-hit ball at the Marlins in Miami. Tanaka walked one and struck out four, and said he hopes to equal or better that effort against the White Sox. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy He will oppose Chicago White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon who comes into the opener with a record of 5-3 with a 2.71 earn run average. "according to http://m.mlb.com/player/607074/carlos-rodon

As for New York's previous game they not only won the finale over Baltimore but they swept the four-game series.

They are hesitant to admit it with so much of the schedule remaining, but the frustration that the Yankees experienced while spinning their wheels in the American League East race most of this summer has broken in favor of optimism. With a strong trip in the books and another game shaved in the standings, catching the Red Sox no longer seems impossible. "according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

Luke Voit (Louis) hit a two-run homer and American League Rookie of the Year contender Miguel Andujar (Papa) smashed a two-run double to support Luis Severino (Sevy) as the Yankees completed a four-game sweep of the Orioles with a 5-3 victory on Sunday evening, concluding Players' Weekend at Camden Yards. As Boston stumbles, New York's eighth win in nine games closed the division deficit to six games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

"I think everybody understands we need to play hard," Severino said. "We're not thinking about the Red Sox. We're thinking about the Yankees winning games. I think we have a great record, and if we continue playing the way we're playing right now, we're going to be good." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

Working on seven days' rest, Severino showed flashes of his early-season brilliance by striking out eight and scattering four hits, but the right-hander was removed after 5 2/3 innings -- the eighth time in nine starts that he has been unable to finish the sixth. Yankees manager Aaron Boone raved about seeing the dominant fastball that helped Severino compile a 1.98 ERA through his first 17 starts. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

"The velocity was there, the life," Boone said. "The ability to pitch at the bottom of the zone and the top. We saw guys having to cheat to catch up with it. They were able to foul a lot of pitches off, so it drove his pitch count up, and he was a little in and out of his slider, which I thought came around for him late. The fastball all night had that life." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

Jonathan Villar (Villi) put the O's on the board with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Trey Mancini hit a sixth-inning homer off Severino, who walked two in a 107-pitch effort while becoming the first pitcher to reach 17 wins this season. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

"It's always good to win," said Severino (17-6). "We always struggle a little bit against this team, and to come here and win four games, it's something very good. The guys are hitting. We're playing good baseball right now, and I hope it will continue." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

Voit put the Yankees on the board against Dylan Bundy (Dilly) with his third homer of the weekend, a second-inning blast to right field. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

"It's like Christmas morning, honestly," Voit said. "It's great for my confidence. This is the first time I've gotten an actual opportunity in the big leagues. I've always been a bench player. It feels good to get some consistent at-bats. I know I can hit, and I'm just glad Aaron is giving me a chance. I'm just having fun, and that's the name of the game." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

Andujar -- who leads all big league rookies in doubles (37), RBIs (72) and extra-base hits (60) -- added a two-run double off Bundy in the third, and Voit charged home on a sixth-inning wild pitch by reliever Cody Carroll (CC) to score the Yankees' fifth run. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

"This was really nice," Boone said. "Tonight, honestly, I thought we were dragging a little bit, just with the road trip and the doubleheader yesterday. For us to be able to grind that win out … I think a couple of guys really grinded out there." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

SOUND SMART
Andujar went 9-for-19 this series, recording multiple hits in all four contests. Sunday marked his eighth three-hit game and 44th multihit game of the season. The latter mark leads all Major League rookies and ranks eighth in the big leagues. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-close-in-on-sox-with-sweep-of-orioles/c-292093556

As for Chicago's previous game, they're also are coming off a win while rookie right -hander Michael  Kopech picked up his first career win in the majors which is quite an accomplishment. 

Michael Kopech is still getting acclimated to life in the big leagues. After notching his first career win Sunday afternoon against the Tigers at Comerica Park, he got to his locker and had to ask a White Sox assistant what to do with his game pants. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

It wasn't Kopech's first start, but it was the first time he was able to stretch out his arm in a Major League game, throwing six innings of one-run ball in a 7-2 win. Kopech's debut on Aug. 21 was cut short after two innings because of a lengthy rain delay. But there was no sign of inclement weather in Detroit on Sunday, leaving the 22-year-old to his own devices, for better or worse. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

Kopech (1-0) struggled through most of the game to find command on his offspeed pitches, which contributed to Kopech needing to draw on something -- not Major League experience, certainly -- to pitch through a couple jams. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

"I know it sounds silly to say that in my second start in the big leagues, I didn't have my best stuff," Kopech said. "But I didn't have my best stuff today, and it was one of those outings where I had to grind through it. I'm fortunate to know that now, when I do have to grind through it, I know that my stuff is good enough to still get big league hitters out." "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

Kopech relied heavily on his four-seam fastball, throwing it for six swinging strikes. He got that fastball up to 98 mph, though Kopech said the velocity overall was down. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

The White Sox have been stressing the maturity of their No-2 ranked prospect , and he backed up the talk by working through a few tight spots. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning, Kopech got Ronny Rodriguez to fly out to Adam Engel in center field to douse the threat. That was after hitting two batters. Kopech threw five scoreless innings, becoming the first White Sox pitcher to keep a team scoreless for that long in his second career game since John Snyder in 1998. Kopech is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 13 overall prospect  in baseball. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

"A lot of the reports we had gotten over the last seven or eight of his outings were pretty significant, very close to what he'd been doing today," manager Rick Renteria said of Kopech's maturity. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

Kopech allowed his first Major League run in the sixth inning, when the Tigers got three straight hits, including two doubles. Victor Martinez doubled to right field to score  Nicholas Castellanos White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia threw to second base instead of home, allowing Castellanos to score without a play. A single by Mikie Mahtook to center loaded the bases with one out, but Kopech pitched out of it by getting Rodriguez to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

"That was awesome," Kopech said. "I was pumped up about that."according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

Kopech also demonstrated his resolve in the second inning after being hit in the lower body by a grounder that came off Mahtook's bat at 99.7 mph, according to Statcast™. After throwing a warmup pitch, Kopech ended the inning by getting Rodriguez to fly out to center. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

Kopech also demonstrated his resolve in the second inning after being hit in the lower body by a grounder that came off Mahtook's bat at 99.7 mph, according to Statcast. After throwing a warmup pitch, Kopech ended the inning by getting Rodriguez to fly out to center. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

"I really don't think it's sunk in for me yet," Kopech said of getting his first win. "We're playing well, and we have been since I got here. Right now, winning feels normal. I hope that winning continues to feel normal." "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
For the second straight game, the White Sox jumped on Tigers starting pitching to give their own staff plenty of breathing room. The third inning was especially productive, with the White Sox getting to Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann (6-6) for four runs. After three of the first four batters reached, Garcia hit a two-run single to center field to get the White Sox on the board. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

The next batter,Daniel Palka , laced a two-run home run to right field. Palka's 19th homer of the season had an exit velocity of 111.1 mph, according to Statcast™."according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

The White Sox got to Zimmermann for five runs in six innings and added two more in the seventh off Buck Farmer. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

SOUND SMART
Engel went 2-for-4 on Sunday, marking his seventh multi-hit performance in his last 14 games. Engel is hitting .333 (17-for-51) in that span. "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

HE SAID IT
"Honestly, I don't know if it hit me or not. My adrenaline was going a little bit. There was no way I was coming out of the game. I decided I would throw a pitch to make everybody happy and keep going." -- Kopech, on getting hit in the thigh in the second inning "according to https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/michael-kopech-strong-in-first-win/c-292050012

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