New York Looks To Bounce Back As They Take On Toronto

After losing the finale to Minnesota on Wednesday New York returns to the Bronx where they will take on Toronto for their final homestand of the 2018 regular season on Friday where not only will they look to bounce back but Toronto will as well after their loss in the finale Thursday to Boston.

New York comes into the opener of the three game series with a record of 90-56 and is second in the American League East while their division rival Toronto comes into the opener of the three -game series with a record of 65-81 and is fourth in the division. “according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

Masahiro Tanaka will start the opener. The Japanese right -hander comes into the game with a record of 11-5 with an earn run average of 3.61. “according to http://m.mlb.com/player/547888/masahiro-tanaka Tanaka will try for his third consecutive victory as the Yanks open their weekend set with Toronto. He was masterful last time out, firing eight scoreless innings of three-hit ball at Seattle, with no walks and 10 strikeouts. He will oppose Toronto right -hander Marco Estrada who comes into the opener with a record of 7-11 with a 5.32 earn run average. “according to http://m.mlb.com/player/462136/marco-estrada This will be Estrada's fourth start of the season versus the Yankees but first since June 5. That outing was one of two this season in which he did not yield a walk, though he did not earn a decision despite allowing just one run over six innings. “according to http://mlb.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

As for New York’s previous game, as stated above they lost to Minnesota in the finale.

Greg Bird's eighth-inning RBI double prevented the Yankees from enduring the indignity of being no-hit for the first time in 15 years, spoiling Jake Odorizzi's bid for history after the right-hander recorded 22 outs without a hit, but it wasn't enough to keep their lead for the top American League Wild Card spot from shrinking near the limit. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

Odorizzi blanked the Bombers over the first seven frames and departed to a standing ovation as the Twins defeated the Yankees, 3-1, on Wednesday evening at Target Field. With their ninth loss in 16 games and the Athletics' victory at Baltimore, New York's lead over Oakland for the first AL Wild Card spot was trimmed to a single game. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

"We know what's at stake," said Giancarlo Stanton, who went hitless with a walk to complete a road trip on which he went 4-for-34 (.118) with 16 strikeouts. "We know what we need to do. It's not an ideal day today or a road trip. We know what we need to do. We're going to come out on Friday and get it done." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

The Yankees have not been no-hit since six Astros pitchers combined to do it on June 11, 2003, at the original Yankee Stadium, but it appeared to be a real possibility as Odorizzi kept the lineup out of that scoreboard column. Settling for a one-hit, 120-pitch effort, Odorizzi was helped by several nice defensive plays, with some deep drives contained by the spacious ballpark. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

"Obviously, we want different results and we need to get better, but I thought our intent today was really good," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "I thought the plans were solid. If you look at that game, I thought we had a lot of quality at-bats and a lot of hard-hit balls. We expect more, and we've got to get rolling." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

Luis Severino worked the first 5 2/3 innings in one of the better starts of his recent stretch, retiring 15 straight after Joe Mauer's first-inning single. Though he permitted a run-scoring double to No. 9 hitter Ehire Adrianza, the right-hander appeared displeased to hand the ball over to Boone. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

"I asked him to give me one more hitter. He has his reasons," said Severino, who permitted four hits in an 83-pitch effort, walking none and striking out five. "I said, 'Give me one more batter.' He said, 'That was it.' … I saw the pitch count at 80-something. Even if I get to 90, that's a low count for pitches." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

Severino brushed past Boone and catcher Gary Sanchez after handing the ball over, and Boone said that he had no issue with Severino's competitive spirit. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

"He's in the fight right now, and I respect the hell out of that," Boone said. "He wants the ball and he wanted to get out of that situation. Just the way we were lined up, I felt like it was the right move at the time, but I have no issue with him wanting the ball." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

David Robertson pitched out of an inherited jam with runners at second and third, but the Twins got to the reliever for three straight two-out hits in the seventh, creating a three-run lead. Jake Cave doubled and scored on a Willians Astudillo single, and Max Kepler followed with an RBI double that tipped off a diving Aaron Hicks' glove in left-center field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

"I felt like I was throwing the ball well. I just made a mistake to Cave," Robertson said. "Left a ball over the middle of the plate, he's a big league hitter and he did exactly what he's supposed to do. He put a good swing on it and laced it down the line. I tried to fight my way out of it; it's just unfortunate." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
The Yankees indeed went unrewarded for their solid contact, as Minnesota made nice plays to deny hits on balls that were smoked by Hicks (102.7 mph) in the fourth inning, Luke Voit (100.9 mph) in the fifth and Hicks again (109.5 mph) in the ninth, among others. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

"We had good at-bats. It's frustrating, but what can you do?" Stanton said. "We hit balls hard. It's not an ideal outcome, but that's baseball sometimes. We hit a lot of balls hard." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

HE SAID IT
"I think everybody here, they're working. They're doing the best they possibly can to win games. Minnesota played good baseball tonight. Odorizzi was great. I think everybody here is just thinking about winning games and playing baseball. Whatever happens at the end of the year happens." -- Severino “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-jake-odorizzi-twins/c-294435982

As for Toronto’s previous game, Like New York, they lost their previous game as they lost to Boston who is in first place in the American League East.

Unable to produce enough offensively for the third consecutive game, the Blue Jays were swept out of Fenway Park, departing with a 4-3 loss in the finale of their season series with the Red Sox on Thursday night. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

"They pitched good, there's no doubt about it," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said in regards to his team's struggles to manufacture runs. "All three games, our guys pitched pretty damned good, gave us a chance. Part of it's young guys learning up here. Part of it's we've had guys who've had down years, off years. I don't know any more than that." “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

After scraping out four hits on Wednesday night, things looked to be coming around as the Blue Jays reached that mark by the third inning, even scoring a run in the process, something they were unable to do since Tuesday's sixth inning. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

Toronto's first run was manufactured by way of a single, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s one-out base hit followed by Justin Smoak's two-out RBI single. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

From there, the Blue Jays mustered just three more hits on the night. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

After a fourth-inning leadoff single from Randal Grichuk, the Red Sox retired 13 straight batters before Gurriel knocked his eighth home run of the season in the eighth inning, a solo shot off a light stanchion in left field against Bobby Poyner. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

"Any homers are nice," Gurriel said. "I just always try to go out there and put good contact. I had a good pitch to put a good swing, and I'm just happy that he threw me a ball that I could do some damage." “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

The Blue Jays would tie the game later that inning, loading the bases with a single, walk and hit batter before Kevin Pillar took a 100.3-mph fastball from Joe Kelly off his right wrist to bring a run in. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

However, Toronto was unable to capitalize any further in the inning, and Boston struck in its very next at-bat to plate the eventual game-winning run when Yangervis Solarte was unable to corral a popup with a runner on third. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

With the loss, Toronto finished 4-15 on the year versus American League East-leading Boston. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

"Not for nothing, but they have 101 wins so far," Gurriel said. "They have great pitching, great defence, they can hit. It's tough to play them. They have good pitchers that were very good, hard to hit. We tried everything we could, but that's a good team over there. It wasn't easy." “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With the score knotted at 3, reliever Danny Barnes came on to pitch the eighth and started things off by forcing J.D. Martinez to ground out to second base. Xander Bogaerts then doubled down the left-field line and stole third base to force Toronto to pull the infield in. With one out, Blake Swihart popped up a 2-2 pitch to the edge of the outfield grass on the second-base side. Solarte, running with his back to home plate, got under it, but it hit his glove and popped out, allowing Bogaerts to score the go-ahead run. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

"You got to make that play," Gibbons said. "It's not always easy when you're infield in [and] you get one of those that hangs up there. But you make that 9-out-of-10. Today was just the 10th one." “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

SOUND SMART
Of the eight home runs Gurriel has hit this season, five have come in the seventh inning or later. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

HE SAID IT
"I do know one thing: Anybody out there that thinks you can win not playing defence is crazy. There's a lot of people that do. Look at all the teams that win in this league if you play defence. We've had a tough time this year with that." -- Gibbons “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-rally-but-lose-to-red-sox-in-finale/c-294546842

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will televised on Yes. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-09