CC Sabathia Opens Final Regular Season Homestand As New York Takes On Baltimore
After Boston celebrated their American League East Title after defeating New York in the finale on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium New York will turn their attention to another division opponent in Baltimore who they’re hosting for the final series of the regular season beginning Friday.
New York comes into the opener of the three -game series with a record of 93-59 while Baltimore comes into the opener with a record of 44-108. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings
CC Sabathia will start the opener for New York. The veteran left-hander comes into the game with a record of 7-7 with a 3.80 earn run average. “according to http://m.mlb.com/player/282332/cc-sabathia Sabathia is coming off his shortest outing of the season, tossing just 2 1/3 innings against Toronto, allowing five runs on seven hits, including three homers. In three starts against Baltimore this season, Sabathia is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA.”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 1-6 with a 5.50 earn run average. “according to http://m.mlb.com/player/ /yefry-ramirez Ramirez, who was sent from the Yankees to the Orioles in 2017, is 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in three appearances (two starts) vs. New York. He pitched three scoreless innings in relief against the Yankees on Aug. 26, allowing just one hit.”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 Boston in the finale on Thursday.
Giancarlo Stanton raised his arms into the air and floated around the basepaths, celebrating a grand slam that the slumping slugger sorely needed. Yet it would not be enough for the Yankees, who had no choice but to plug their ears and ignore the celebration being prepared in the visiting clubhouse of their building. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a game-tying seventh-inning homer and Mookie Betts returned from an injury scare to enjoy a four-hit, five-RBI evening, helping the Red Sox clinch the American League East for a third consecutive season with an 11-6 victory over the Yankees on Thursday evening in the Bronx. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
They've had a solid year. We can't deny that," Stanton said. "You never want it to be here that they get it, but we gave it what we've got. They can celebrate now and we've got time to celebrate later." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
After two evenings of preventing the Red Sox from celebrating, the Yankees permitted a party to the Red Sox, who have been alone in first place since July 2. Boston was relatively restrained on the field; as it was in 2016, when it also clinched the division at Yankee Stadium, Boston did most of its splashing behind closed doors. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
"I felt like we did a lot of things well in this series," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, whose club has a 1 1/2-game lead over the A's for the top AL Wild Card. "We couldn't finish it off when it looked like we had a nice little comeback going there in the middle of this game. This stings a little bit, but we also feel like we've gotten our guys back. We feel like we're in position to hopefully take off and really start playing well." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
The late lead change occurred after Stanton mashed a Heath Hembree offering into the right-field seats for his 35th homer, a fourth-inning drive that followed three consecutive walks by Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez, including a 10-pitch battle with Aaron Judge. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
Hot-hitting newcomer Luke Voit had slugged his 10th homer in the second inning, simultaneously establishing a new franchise record for home runs in a single-season (247, including Stanton's grand slam) and securing the Yankees' place as the only team in Major League history to boast a dozen players with 10 or more homers. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
While Steven Wright calmed New York's bats over three scoreless innings, Boston scored seven unanswered runs after Stanton's grand slam, six off the Yankees' bullpen. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
J.D. Martinez lashed a run-scoring hit off Masahiro Tanaka in a sluggish 31-pitch first inning before Betts picked up a two-run single in the second and Brock Holt homered in the fifth.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
"As far as pitches go, I don't think it was awful tonight," Tanaka said. "I think the Red Sox offense got some good hits off of it. You kind of have to tip your cap to them. We came back with Giancarlo's big home run there. After that, you really want to shut down that fifth inning. I wasn't able to do that." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
Facing Chad Green in the seventh, Xander Bogaerts gave the Red Sox the lead on a sacrifice fly, with Aaron Hicks' throw to third base skipping past Miguel Andujar to point home another run. Aroldis Chapman served up a three-run homer to Betts in the eighth inning, marking the left-hander's first appearance since being activated from the disabled list.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
"I felt good. That's the important thing about it," Chapman said through an interpreter. "I'm healthy. It's good. The other stuff, we can work on."
SOUND SMART
With home runs from Voit and Stanton, the Yankees have hit 247 homers this season, surpassing the franchise record of 245 established in 2012. They own the seventh-highest total in Major League history, trailing the 1997 Mariners (264), 2005 Rangers (260), '10 Blue Jays (257), '96 Orioles (257), '16 Orioles (253) and the '00 Astros (249). “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
HE SAID IT
"It was just a long, tough, slug-it-out game and they just came up with more big offensive plays than we did tonight. It would've finished the start of a great series, but credit to them. They just kind of weren't going to be denied today." -- Boone “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-unable-to-stop-soxs-clinching-party/c-295389924
As for Baltimore’s previous game, they edged Toronto on Wednesday and were off Thursday.
After going hitless in his first 13 Major League at-bats, DJ Stewart is feeling a lot more comfortable at the plate. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
The Orioles' top pick in the 2015 draft followed up his first Major League hit on Tuesday with his first career home run and double on Wednesday that paved the way for the Orioles' 2-1 win over the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
In the third inning, Stewart led off with a long fly ball against Marco Estrada to right that hit the top of the foul pole for the home run, then hit a seventh-inning double and came around to score on Cedric Mullins' single. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
"I wasn't really pressing, but it's always a relief when you can get the first one out of the way," Stewart said. "To come out here to have that confidence going into the game that you're still feeling really well and then going over the wall, that's got to give you more confidence." “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
Stewart wasn't even sure the ball was gone. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
"It was a little close there," Stewart said. "[First-base coach Wayne Kirby] was running down the line trying to will it fair. I was doing the same, but once I saw it hit off the foul pole, it kind of sunk in that I did it. We did it. It was a lot less stressful than the Little League home run." “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
Five Orioles pitchers combined for the victory. Jimmy Yacabonis started and threw four innings, allowing just two hits. Mike Wright Jr. pitched two innings of one-hit ball. Miguel Castro allowed a solo homer to Billy McKinney in his 1 2/3 frames. Tanner Scott retired the only batter he faced, and Mychal Givens worked the ninth for his eighth save.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
The Blue Jays loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth against Yacabonis, but Kendrys Morales flied out to Adam Jones in right. McKinney tagged up and dashed home, but Jones' throw was in time and Austin Wynns reached across the plate to nab McKinney. Aledmys Diaz flied out in the ensuing at-bat to end the scoring threat. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
"[Jones] had his momentum coming to us and saw the flight of it," Wynns said. "I thought I had more time, so I took a step back, and it was bang-bang. It was a great throw by Adam." “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
SOUND SMART
Jones' assist was the 99th of his career, but his first since moving to right field on Aug. 10. “according tohttps://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
HE SAID IT
"I still feel elated after we win a game, and then I think about all the good things that went on, especially defensively tonight." -- Orioles manager Buck Showalter “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/dj-stewart-hits-first-homer-double-in-win/c-295297342
First pitch is set for 7:05pm. The game will be televised on Yes “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2018-09 and MASN “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/schedule/2018-09