Masahiro Tanaka, Zack Greinke To Start Game 4 Of The ALCS For New York And Houston

Mother nature made the decision to postpone game four of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday of what would have been a bullpen day for both New York who is a member of the American League East and Houston who is a member of the American League West.

With the postponement we go back to the starting rotation. The starters for game four on Thursday night will be the same as they were in Game 1 in Houston. Those starters being Japanese right -hander Masahiro Tanka for New York and right -hander Zack Greinke for Houston.

Heading into game one of the American League Championship Series in Houston Japanese right -hander Masahiro Tanaka didn’t have great numbers at Minute Maid Park as he came into the game with a record of 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA over four outings.

In game one of the American League Championship Series in Houston though that changed.

In six innings against Tanaka, the Astros had a walk and a single, didn’t get a runner into scoring position and hit only two balls out of the infield. Tanaka struggled at times this season, but in two postseason starts, including one in the AL Division Series against the Twins, he has allowed one earned run in 11 innings. As for considering the legacy part of the deal, he’s not there yet. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-among-postseason-elite

Will Masahiro Tanaka be able to duplicate his outing in game one of the American League Championship Series and help New York even up the series in the Bronx?

As stated above, Masahiro Tanaka will start for New York. The Japanese right -hander comes into game four of the American League Championship Series with a record of 11-9 with a 4.45 earn run average. Tanaka is expected to pitch on regular rest in the rescheduled Game 4. He has pitched twice this postseason, including six scoreless innings of one-hit ball in Game 1. Tanaka was impressively efficient in that outing, tossing only 68 pitches. The right-hander owns a 1.32 ERA over 41 career postseason innings spanning seven starts, dating to the 2015 AL Wild Card Game against Houston. He will oppose Houston right -hander Zack Greinke who comes into the game with a record of 18-5 with a 2.93 earn run average. A quality start by Greinke wasn't enough in Game 1, as the Astros were shut out at home. But his last time at Yankee Stadium -- July 31, the day he was traded to Houston -- Greinke held the Yankees to two runs in five innings with seven strikeouts. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

In this game New York will look to even up the American League Championship Series while Houston will look to extend their lead in the American League Championship Series.

As for the previous game of the American League Championship Series,

On a night when the opposing pitcher Gerrit Cole wasn’t excellent you would think New York would be able to take advantage.

Turns out that wasn’t the case.

Though the Yankees battled Gerrit Cole as well as any of his recent opponents, placing multiple runners on base in four of the AL Cy Young Award contender's seven scoreless innings, the Bombers were unable to capitalize as the Astros celebrated a 4-1 victory in Tuesday's Game 3 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-game-3-of-alcs

The only offense that New York got was provided by their second baseman. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-game-3-of-alcs

Gleyber Torres broke up the shutout with an eighth-inning homer off reliever Joe Smith, representing the Yanks' first run since Aaron Judge homered in the fourth inning of ALCS Game 2. The Yankees are now presented with the challenge of having to beat either Cole or Justin Verlander at least once in order to advance to the World Series. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-game-3-of-alcs

As for Luis Severino who started for New York.

The right -hander pitched 4 1/3 innings while permitting two home runs.

Both runs against Severino came on solo home runs, as José Altuve took him deep in the first inning and Josh Reddick did the same in the second, both on hanging sliders. But the right-hander found himself in trouble aside from the homers, loading the bases in the first while putting a runner in scoring position in the second, fourth and fifth. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/luis-severino-game-3-alcs

Severino worked out of the jams, but a 36-pitch first inning and a 26-pitch second left him in bad shape when it came to getting the Yanks deep into the ballgame. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/luis-severino-game-3-alcs

Meanwhile Houston was on the other end of the spectrum in game three of the American League Championship Series in the Bronx as they were able to take a 2-1 lead.

Working without his best stuff, Cole delivered one of the most clutch pitching performances in Astros playoff history by holding the Yanks’ powerful offense scoreless for seven innings and stealing the show in a 4-1 win at Yankee Stadium. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/gerrit-cole-astros-win-alcs-game-3

Cole walked a career-high-tying five batters and struck out only seven, ending his streak of consecutive games with double-digit strikeouts at 11, but he still managed to improve to 19-0 in his last 25 starts to extend the longest single-season win streak in baseball history. Houston is 16-0 in his last 16 starts. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/gerrit-cole-astros-win-alcs-game-3

As for the Houston offense,

It came from José Altuve (first inning) and Josh Reddick (second inning), who hit solo homers off Yanks starter Luis Severino. The Astros pushed a pair of runs across in the seventh on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead, causing hope to dissipate in the Bronx. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/luis-severino-game-3-alcs

First pitch is set for 8:08pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on FS1