J.A. Happ To Start As New York Faces Baltimore

After routing Tampa Bay in the finale on Sunday in the Bronx, winning the series and moving back into first place in the division New York now heads to Maryland to take on yet another American League East foe in Baltimore where they will play a four game series starting Monday night where they hope to expand their lead in the division.

New York comes into the opening game of the four game series with a record of 28-17 and is in first place in the American League East while Baltimore who is last in the division comes into the opening game of the four game series with a record of 15-31. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings

J.A. Happ will start for New York.

As stated above, J. A. Happ will start for New York. The veteran left-hander comes into the game with a record of 3-3 with a 3.44 earn run average. Happ (3-3, 4.44 ERA) will face the O's for his second straight start and for the fourth time this season. He's allowed nine runs in 13 2/3 innings vs. Baltimore this season, but he's allowed just three runs across his past two starts. He will oppose Baltimore right -hander Andrew Cashner who comes into the game with a record of 4-2 with a 4.10 earn run average. Andrew Cbeat Tampa ashner didn't receive much support in his most recent start against the Yankees, but the veteran righty gave his club a chance with a 6-inning, 2-run effort at Yankee Stadium. He has another opportunity to face New York on Monday. “according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for New York’s previous game, they not only took back the lead in the American League East but they also routed Tampa Bay.

The Yankees entered the bottom of the sixth inning tied at 5 with the Rays in a back-and-forth game that featured home runs from both sides. But the Yanks took control in the sixth, scoring seven runs on four hits in an inning that included five walks from Rays pitchers, one of which was intentional. That gave the Yankees a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, going on to win, 13-5, “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

Each Yankees batter came to the plate at least once, with Brett Gardner and Clint Frazier batting twice in the inning. The only Yanks batter not to reach base was DJ LeMahieu. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

The first two runs of the inning scored on bases-loaded walks to Luke Voit and Kendrys Morales. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

That’s a great example of [if] you control the strike zone, you can have an inning like that,” manager Aaron Boone said about the walks. “And if you’re playing against a team like Tampa Bay, you’d better control the strike zone or they’re going to make you look bad. And that was a classic example there of making it really difficult on them, especially when they had [Diego] Castillo and [Ryne] Stanek in that game. Those are tough customers. I thought we did a really good job of giving ourselves a chance. … A lot of really good at-bats in that inning.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

Then, following a challenge by the Rays, Gleyber Torres plated a run on a single before pinch-hitter Thairo Estrada -- hitting for Gio Urshela -- knocked a bases-clearing double to make it 11-5. New York tacked on one more on a Gardner double to bring home Estrada. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

Estrada was batting because Urshela had been hit in the groin area after fouling off a pitch in his at-bat in the third inning. “I think he’s OK,” Boone said after the game. “He was just having a little hard time running. I don’t think it’s anything too major, but we were kind of cautious there. He wasn’t feeling great and we decided to get him out of there.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

That substitution was in many ways representative of what has driven the Yankees’ offense and success this season in the face of injuries: Players stepping up. Estrada, like Urshela, didn’t figure to get much playing time entering the season -- yet there he was, contributing. Estrada has made the most of his chances, and he got the key hit to propel his team to a win on Sunday, something Urshela has done as well.

“Thairo, to me, has been one of the faces of what we’re doing right now,” Boone said. “This guy’s a prospect, in a lot of ways we kind of rushed him up here and threw him into the fire, and he’s handled every situation perfectly. Every time we’re in a situation, middle of the game, where we’re thinking through a possible move, he’s thinking along with the game, he’s prepared. He goes out there and plays with a calm and a poise, and he’s come up with a lot of big hits, a lot of big defensive plays. He’s been a really good player for us.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

The offense came alive, with Aaron Hicks hitting his first home run of the season in the fourth inning to tie the game at 5 and Gardner notching a three-hit game after entering the day hitting .140 (6-for-43) in May. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

Hicks summed up the win as an example of what the team has done all year. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

“It just proves the fight that our team has,” Hicks said. “We really are doing ‘next man up,’ and guys are performing and doing what they need to do to help this team win.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

The seven-run inning was the Yankees’ largest output in a single frame this season. They had multiple seven-run innings last season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

With the seven-run sixth and LeMahieu’s solo homer in the seventh, the Yankees tallied 13 runs, their second-highest-scoring game of the season. They scored 15 against the Orioles in Baltimore on April 7. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-rally-for-7-in-big-6th-vs-rays

Unlike New York, Baltimore not only lost their previous game but they were shutout by Cleveland who is a member of the American League Central.

The Orioles didn’t reasonably expect Yefry Ramírez would provide much length in his first big-league start of the season on Sunday. After all, the youngster’s longest outing since his promotion in late April was just shy of five innings earlier this month.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Unfortunately, Ramirez’s effort was even more abbreviated than anticipated, due to the early-and-often offensive assault from Indians hitters. Ultimately, the righty lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his first non-relief big league outing of 2019, and the O’s weren’t able to recover from the five runs Ramirez surrendered prior to his exit. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

The end result: a 10-0 loss to the Tribe in the finale of their four-game series. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“[My outing] was well below average,” Ramirez said through an interpreter. “It wasn’t my best. Just bad.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

The 25-year-old hurler was lifted after 73 pitches, surrendering four earned runs and six hits, walking four and striking out three. He served up a homer to Indians first baseman Carlos Santana in the third inning. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“I just thought they were aggressive from the start,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “He just struggled keeping them off the barrel. He didn’t have his good changeup and not much of a breaking ball. They were sitting on the middle of the plate and hit him hard.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Ramirez’s start came after making four appearances out of the bullpen for the Orioles earlier this season, in which he allowed four runs over seven innings prior to Sunday’s loss.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“Days like this are the days that you learn the most,” Ramirez said. “You try to learn from those mistakes. Try to execute better for hopefully a next outing.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Following the game, the Orioles optioned Ramirez To Triple-A Norfolk. The team did not initially announce a corresponding move.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Of course, even a better start to the day might not have mattered. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Ramirez was outlasted and outpitched by Tribe starter Shane Bieber, who baffled O’s hitters all afternoon. Bieber struck out a career-high 15 hitters in a shutout of the Baltimore offense. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“I just thought we got completely dominated,” Hyde said. “That was masterful. He worked ahead. He had really good stuff. He had a great breaking ball that we just continued to swing at underneath the zone.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Bieber allowed just five hits and didn’t walk a batter en route to his first career shutout. Sunday marked the third time this season the O’s have been blanked.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Hyde’s only gripe was a lack of adjustment by his hitters. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“Obviously, you have to recognize early this guy’s got really good command,” Hyde said. “He’s going to locate his fastball and get us to chase the breaking ball underneath with two strikes. He just continued to do it for nine innings. We just continued to swing at it.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Bieber induced 27 swinging strikes. A dozen of those came on the righty’s slider. Orioles first baseman Chris Davis struck out four times and later agreed with his manager’s assessment.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“Personally, I didn’t make an adjustment early in the game,” Davis said. “The guy kept throwing a slider down. I kept swinging at it. That’s just stupidity on my part. But we’ll try to put it behind us and move forward.”

Series stuff

The Orioles were outscored 29-13 in the four-game series at Progressive Field, dropping three of the four games in Cleveland. That continues what has become a difficult stretch for the O’s, extending their string of consecutive series losses to four.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

The defeat was also their ninth over their last 11 games, dropping Baltimore’s season record to 15-31. That’s enough to send anyone scrambling in search of positives, particularly the man tasked with keeping morale high.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“The 14-7 loss [on Thursday] just got away from us, but that wasn’t a blowout until the very end,” Hyde said. “This game was lopsided from early, early on. I thought we were in yesterday. We won the day before. We swung the bat good the first game. Today, we just got beat.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

Of course, with a four-game home series with the Yankees looming on the horizon, things probably won’t get any easier in the near future.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“I think you have to take away positive things and realize that you’re going to have games that you’re in a funk,” Davis said. “You just don’t have it that day. But looking back on the series, I feel like we did a lot of things well. It’s just a tough place to play. It’s a good team. We’ve just got to do a better job of making adjustments.”according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

“We’ve got to find a way to turn the page.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-lose-series-to-indians

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Camden Yards. The game will be televised on MASN and Yes.