New York Dispatches Houston In The Opener
After sweeping Tampa Bay New York who is a member of the American League East continued their homestand by opening up their four game series with Houston.
The opening game however wasn’t even close with New York winning by a big margin by a score of 10-6.
Gary Sánchez, Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu homered as part of another six-run inning for the Yankees -- their third in the past two games -- as the Bombers rolled to their sixth consecutive victory, outslugging the top club in the American League West. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
"Guys are swinging the bats well," said Cameron Maybin, who added a two-run double in the fifth inning. "We still don't have everybody going. As soon as we've got everybody going and swinging the bat, it's going to be scary." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
Sanchez mashed his 22nd homer, Torres cracked a three-run blast through heavy raindrops into the visiting bullpen and LeMahieu launched a two-run shot that landed atop Monument Park. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
The Yankees enjoyed their 23rd consecutive game with at least one homer, the longest streak in the Majors this year and two shy of a franchise record established in 1941. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
"We know how well they've played without Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton," said Houston's Alex Bregman. "They've had that next-man-up mentality, and they've been winning games." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
Astros starter Framber Valdez lasted 3 1/3 innings, charged with five runs. Edwin Encarnacion joined the fun in the seventh inning, reclaiming the AL lead with his 23rd homer, a two-run shot that marked his second long ball in pinstripes. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
"I felt like the at-bat quality was there all night. It made for some very difficult innings," manager Aaron Boone said. "I thought their starter was really tough the first go-round. It looked like the stuff was really good and he was giving us some problems. The at-bats the next go-round, they really locked it in and made it tough on him." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
The Yankees improved to 6-0 in games when Chad Green has served as their opener, with the right-hander hurling two scoreless innings. Over his last four opening assignments, Green has retired 21 of 25 batters faced. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
"I'm definitely used to it," Green said. "It's nothing crazy ... we'll see if it continues. It's nice that the guys behind me have pitched well and we're winning ballgames with it. It seems to be working." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
Nestor Cortes Jr. limited Houston to a pair of solo homers over three innings, hit back-to-back by Jake Marisnick and Bregman in the fifth. Yordan Alvarez added a solo homer facing Tommy Kahnle in the sixth. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
"Nestor was good," Boone said. "We kept him going when the [37-minute] rain delay came. He threw a little bit underneath just to keep him warm, so that limited what we had of him. The long layoff got in his way a little bit in the fifth inning, but he was solid again for us." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
he effort did not save Cortes from a difficult conversation with Boone and pitching coach Larry Rothschild after the victory, as the left-hander was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to clear a roster spot for Judge. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
"It's just unfortunate we have a roster crunch," Cortes said. "I'll just keep working on my craft, stay sharp, and hopefully I'll be back." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
That move may be a temporary salve, as Boone has expressed a desire to stick with a 13-man pitching staff. New York is now carrying five outfielders, including Maybin, who is out of Minor League options. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
"There's nothing I can do or worry about, except for playing baseball," Maybin said. "Things will shake out how they shake out. I am OK with it."“according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-hit-4-home-runs-win-6th-in-a-row
With the win New York improves to 47-27 on the season.
Meanwhile Houston who is a member of the American League West had yet another setback.
Even Alex Bregman's 21st long ball, Yordan Alvarez's fifth home run in nine big league games and a two-homer night for Jake Marisnick weren't quite enough to distract from what the Astros are missing. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
Not when the Astros were sent to their season-high fifth straight loss in Thursday night's series opener against the Yankees, outslugged 10-6 by their powerhouse rivals. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
Not when George Springer was 1,600 miles away in Corpus Christi, busy homering twice in a Double-A rehab game, his first since he went down with a left hamstring strain on May 24. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
Not when Carlos Correa is 1,400 miles away in Houston, stuck doing rehab exercises as he works his way back from a fractured rib that will likely keep him out until after the All-Star break. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
Still, it's impossible to watch those loud swings in the Bronx and not be excited at what this Houston lineup will look like at full strength. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
"Oh, it's gonna be awesome," Bregman said. "We're getting Jose [Altuve] back now, he's gonna get on a roll. Springer hit two homers today in rehab -- he's coming soon. And then hopefully Correa heals quickly and he gets back. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
"I think we're having a little rough stretch right now. But we'll be back." “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
Even after Thursday's rain-delayed loss to the Yankees, the Astros are still 20 games over .500 (48-28), with a 7 1/2-game lead in the American League West. And when these two teams meet, you can't help but think of October, and the potential of a star-studded playoff series. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
A healthy Houston lineup rivals that of the Bronx Bombers, both in depth and star power. But the Astros are missing two of their biggest hitters in Springer and Correa -- though Springer could return as soon as the start of the Astros' next homestand on Tuesday -- and Altuve is just two games into his return after missing the previous 35. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
In a weird way, the Yankees offer a parallel for the path the Astros have to take. When the clubs met in Houston in April -- a series the Astros swept -- the Yankees were the ones missing multiple stars, like Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius, and it only got worse when Aaron Judge was knocked out with a left oblique strain. But New York has kept winning, Judge is set to return Friday, and the Yankees now sit in first place in the AL East, the same way the Astros remain in first in the West. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
"We know how well they've played without Judge and Stanton, and really a lot of guys -- a lot of their regular guys that are superstars," Bregman said. "They've had that next-man-up mentality, too, and they've been winning games. I think we've done a good job of doing the same thing, honestly. I think it's gonna be huge for us to get healthy, but in the meantime we've got to play good baseball." “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
In that meantime, Bregman is keeping pace with the league's top sluggers. In the AL, only Edwin Encarnacion, Gary Sanchez and Mike Trout -- the first two also went deep at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night -- have more home runs.
He's getting help from other Astros like Alvarez, 21 years old and ranked baseball's No. 11 prospect, who's been a powerful spark since his callup. Alvarez's homer against the Yankees had an exit velocity of 113.2 mph -- the Astros' hardest-hit home run of the year. And the only other player to hit five homers through nine career games at such a young age? Carlos Delgado. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
When someone like Marisnick chips in, too -- his homers were his first since May 24, and Thursday marked his first multi-homer game since July 31, 2017 -- Houston can be a potent team with the roster they have. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
Now they just need to start turning those homers back into W's. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
"Paces are great," manager A.J. Hinch said, "but wins are better." “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
With the loss, Houston drops to 48-28 on the regular season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/jake-marisnick-homers-twice-vs-yankees
New York and Houston will continue their series on Friday night in the Bronx when they play game two of their four game series but they will also welcome back Aaron Judge who is returning from a left oblique strain.