iStock_000084127593_Full.jpg

BASEBALL

New York Concludes West Coast Trip With Arizona

New York has been on the west coast for seven games now that started in Anaheim on April 22nd where they played four games and then it was on to San Francisco for three games and now the team that dawns the pinstripes will closeout their west coast trip in the Grand Canyon State against Arizona where they will play two games starting Tuesday night where New York will look to win another game while Arizona meanwhile will look to bounce back from their recent setback to the Chicago Cubs.

In the opener of the two game set New York who is a member of the American League East comes into the opener of the two game series with a record of 17-11 while Arizona who is a member of the National League West comes into the opener of the two game series with a record of 16-13. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings

CC Sabathia who is playing his last season of Major League Baseball will start for New York in the opener. The veteran left-hander comes into the opener with a record of 1-0 with a 2.40 earn run average. Sabathia will take another crack at becoming the 17th pitcher to record 3,000 strikeouts. He received a no-decision in his last start, allowing five runs (four earned) in five innings to the Angels. He needs three strikeouts for 3,000. He will oppose Arizona right -hander Merrill Kelly who comes into the opener with a record of 2-2 with a 3.94 earn run average. Kelly has pitched well this year for D-backs after spending the past four years pitching in Korea. Last time out, against the Pirates, he allowed just two earned runs over seven innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for New York’s previous game, they swept San Francisco.

Voit stroked three hits and drove in two runs to give him a team-leading 25 RBIs. Gary Sánchez and Gleyber Torres slugged balls over the fences on Sunday afternoon, leading the Yankees to an 11-5 victory over the Giants to complete a three-game sweep by the Bay. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

"It’s a tribute to our team and guys getting on base," Voit said. "I’m just driving them in in clutch situations. That’s part of it, when you hit in a spot in the middle of the order. You’ve got to drive them in when it come. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

New York has won six of seven games on its West Coast swing, as a lineup populated by second and third stringers continues to roll. Their good fortune may have continued into the trainer’s room, where infielders DJ LeMahieu (right knee) and Gio Urshela (left hand) received clean X-rays despite exiting early due to injuries. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

The Yankees built an early eight-run cushion for starter Domingo Germán, who limited the Giants to a single over the first five innings before San Francisco broke through in the sixth. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

"It's fun to have the journey together, especially at this level," German said through an interpreter. "Being able to play good baseball, being able to win games, have those guys behind me and score runs for me -- it's very satisfying, understanding that we have a good chunk of the team missing." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez was thumped for six runs (four earned) and seven hits over three-plus innings, with the Yanks scoring twice in each of the first three frames. An error and a double play accounted for the runs in the first, Voit laced a two-run single in the second and Torres hit a two-run shot in the third. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

For Voit, a first-inning walk extended his on-base streak to 38 games -- the longest active streak in the Majors -- and the single credited Voit with hits in 14 of his last 15 games. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

"He’s a really good hitter," manager Aaron Boone said. "He’s really caught fire on this West Coast trip. The power, he’s getting off his 'A' swing a lot, but really controlling the strike zone. Look, it’s what we believe him to be. It's not surprising at all." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Over those 15 games, Voit is hitting .368 (21-for-57), and there should be partial credit offered to Andujar’s 34-inch, 31-ounce lumber, an ounce lighter than what Voit began the season using. Voit said he made the bat switch before last weekend's home series against the Royals. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

“He's got so many hits in them," Voit said. "It’s just a comfortable bat. I have to make sure Sam Bat gets me a hundred thousand of those bats. I felt like I was late on fastballs, and I made the adjustment." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Currently preparing to play in an extended spring game on Monday in Tampa, Fla., Andujar surely understands. For a period of last season, Andujar was swinging bats left behind by former teammate Starlin Castro. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

"He doesn’t care," Voit said of Andujar. "As long as I get hits, too." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Sanchez hit a 467-foot grand slam on Saturday and cleared the fences again in the sixth inning on Sunday. a two-run blast off Nick Vincent that was calculated to have traveled 430 feet by Statcast.

The homer was Sanchez’s eighth, tying Voit for the team lead, and Voit expressed incredulity when told of Sunday’s distance. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

"I've got to agree with Luke," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "I definitely felt that I hit this one much better." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Other than the pair of X-rays, the only bump for the Yanks came in the sixth, when German lost the command of his curveball and San Francisco took advantage. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Joe Panik, Pablo Sandoval and Kevin Pillar drove home runs against German, who said he was still satisfied with an 87-pitch outing in which he permitted four runs and five hits. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

"I was able to execute pitches early in the game, take the game into the sixth inning, where I was cruising and feeling really good out there," German said through an interpreter. "I was executing the plan with that in mind. Definitely, I'm pleased with the outing." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Cameron Maybin and Tyler Wade also drove home runs for the Yanks, who have won 11 of 13 to improve to a season-high six games over .500 (17-11). “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

"I think we've got really good makeup in that room," Boone said. "It’s something that’s important to us, to have those kind of people. I think we have that in spades in there with guys that are tough, that are prepared." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-complete-sweep-of-giants

Unlike New York, Arizona lost their previous game as they were topped by the Chicago Cubs.

- It was a long day for everyone wearing a D-backs or Cubs jersey, but no one had it rougher than Arizona right-hander Jon Duplantier. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Called up from Triple-A Reno earlier in the day, he experienced a flight delay and got to Chase Field just before Sunday’s series finale with the Cubs started.”according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Five hours, 36 minutes and 15 innings later, the D-backs were saddled with a 6-5 loss, and Duplantier, who had thrown four scoreless innings, was packing his bags, having been optioned back to Reno. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

“Long day,” Duplantier said. “But I’m never going to pass up an opportunity to come up here and help the team out. Happy for the experience, for sure.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Pitching on three days’ rest, Duplantier worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the 12th by retiring Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez and David Bote in order. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

In the 13th, he was facing runners on the corners when he kept his composure and caught Willson Contreras trying to steal home for the final out of the frame. It was an example of the maturity that has him ranked as the organization’s top pitching prospect by MLB Pipeline. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

“That was an unusual play,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “We never talked about it or prepared for it. For him to turn around and throw the ball and execute the right way was pretty impressive. He has a tremendous mound presence. I’ve seen that since the day I saw him for the first time on a mound on the back fields at Salt River. He’s mature beyond his years, and he’s ready for this environment.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Duplantier has thrown eight scoreless innings over his two stints in the big leagues this year, but he’ll go back to Reno so he can get stretched out as a starter. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

It’s a process that was delayed by an illness during Spring Training and then by the fact that he was needed in relief in the big leagues at the start of April following a bullpen-taxing, six-hour game in Los Angeles. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

When he went back to Reno in early April, Duplantier had a good outing to start with, but he was so efficient he had only thrown 37 pitches in over three innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Desperate to get himself stretched out with the Aces, Duplantier focused on that instead of just pitching his game, and the result was four walks in 2 2/3 innings. It was a learning experience.”according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

“It was the wrong way to go about it,” Duplantier said. “So this time around, I can only control what I can control and go out and pitch my game. If I go four innings and 40 pitches and they say ,‘We can’t rationally progress you,’ then so be it. It’s a long season and hopefully it’s a really long career. It is what it is. The goal is to go down there and get consistently better at pitching and doing my job. My job isn’t necessarily to speed along a progression.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Duplantier threw 58 pitches on Sunday, a couple shy of what the team had targeted as a maximum for him. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Fellow reliever Matt Andriese, however, was not as fortunate. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Lovullo wanted to stay away from Andriese except in an emergency after he threw 43 pitches over three innings on Friday night. But when the 14th inning rolled around, the D-backs were short on options. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

“He was going to put his hard hat on and go to work,” Lovullo said. “He gave us everything he could.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

Andriese pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the 14th, but the Cubs finally got to him in the 15th, when Ben Zobrist drove home a pair of runs with a double, then scored on Kris Bryant’s sacrifice fly. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

“In that situation, you just go out and you grind,” Andriese said. “It’s late in the game, and you give it all you got. At that point, it’s a battle. Every pitch is a battle at that point. Going off of one day’s rest and throwing three innings, [43] pitches, I mean, I gave it all I got.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

So did his teammates, who pushed home a couple of runs in the bottom of the 15th only to come up just short. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-lose-to-cubs-in-15-innings

First pitch is set for 9:40pm from Chase Field. The game will be televised on Yes “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/2019-04 and FS-A “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/schedule/2019-04