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BASEBALL

J.A. Happ Starts The Opener As New York Returns To The Bronx To Host Arizona

After a rough weekend in Massachttes where they lost three out of four to their American League East rival Boston New York returns to the Bronx on Tuesday night after an off day on Monday where they will host Arizona who is a member of the National League West for a quick two game series.

New York who is a member of the American League East and leading their division comes into the opening game with a record of 67-38 while Arizona who is in third place in the National League West comes into the opening game with a record of 53-54. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings

J.A. Happ will start the opening game of the two game series for New York. The veteran left-hander comes into the opening game with a record of 8-5 with an earn run average of 5.23. Happ allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings his last time out to the Twins, taking a no-decision in the Yanks' 10-7 win. Prior to that, Happ had pitched to a 2.87 ERA in his previous three starts, allowing five runs in 15 2/3 innings. He will oppose Arizona right -hander Taylor Clarke who comes into the opening game of the two game series with a record of 3-3 and a higher earn run average then him at 6.10. Clarke was recently on the Paternity List as his wife gave birth to a daughter last Thursday. Clarke last started on July 24, when he allowed just two runs on four hits while striking out seven over six innings against the Orioles. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for New York’s previous game,

They last played on Sunday night where they salvaged a game out of their four game series against their American League East rival Boston at Fenway Park in Massachttes.

New York’s starting rotation of CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka , James Paxton , J.A. Happ haven’t done so well as they haven’t gone deep into games recently and they’ve been giving up lots of runs to the opposition.

On Sunday however at Fenway Park Domingo German who is taking the place of Luis Severino who has yet to throw from a big league mound this season because of a shoulder and lat strain halted New York’s losing streak and helped them salvage the finale against their American League East rivals and along with that picked his thirteenth win of the season.

German struck out nine and pitched into the sixth inning while Romine and Didi Gregorius slugged homers off Chris Sale, helping New York salvage the finale of a four-game series at Fenway Park with a 9-6 victory over the Red Sox on Sunday night. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

"I felt it was my responsibility to go out there and put a stop to it," German said through a translator. "It's been a rough patch for us starters. Tonight I felt I needed to go out there and be aggressive." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

Yankees starters had failed to complete five innings in seven straight games, a string that German snapped by limiting Boston to three runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings. The win restored New York's lead in the American League East to nine games over Boston and 8 1/2 games over the second-place Rays. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

"This was a bad week, but for Domingo to go out and do it, I'm not surprised," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "That moment for him wasn't too big. I knew he'd be in command of his emotions regardless of the outcome. He certainly was." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

German notched his 13th victory, good for a share of the AL lead, as he held Boston hitless through the first 11 batters of the contest. Andrew Benintendi slugged a two-run homer in the fourth, halving the Yanks' lead at the time to 4-2, but the Yanks padded German's lead with a pair of sixth-inning runs. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

A leadoff walk (German's only free pass of the night), Xander Bogaerts' double and a J.D. Martinez RBI groundout brought Boston within three runs, but Boone called upon Tommy Kahnle for the final two outs of that frame, freezing German's line. German threw 57 of 77 pitches for strikes. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

"We needed that start from Domingo, badly," Romine said. "I think he came out and was the most calm I have seen him, the most collected I have seen him. I think he was on a mission and throwing some really good pitches there, keeping them off balance. It's the first time we’ve seen some off-balance swings. It was much needed and great." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

Goin' deep

Leads have been difficult to come by in a series in which the Yankees were outscored, 44 to 22, but Romine put New York on top by reaching the Green Monster seats for a two-run shot in the third inning. Romine's third homer of the season came off the bat at 111.4 mph and traveled a projected 446 feet, according to Statcast. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

"I was just trying to get something up," Romine said. "I've faced him a couple times before. They know I am looking first-pitch fastball, so maybe something up and in the zone [that I can] get a good swing off. I did." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

Gregorius visited the right-field seats with a two-run homer off Sale in the fourth inning, and one night after posting the first four-hit game of his career, Urshela continued to swing a hot bat by adding a run-scoring double in the sixth off Sale. Urshela owns eight extra-base hits in his last six games. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

"The power continues to play; I think everyone keeps waiting for [Urshela] to fall off," Boone said. "It's just more good at-bats and it seems like the better the competition, the bigger the spot, he seems to be a little better too." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

Cameron Maybin also drove in a run off Sale, who was charged with six runs over 5 1/3 innings. Sale fell to 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in three starts against the Yankees this year, having allowed 14 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

'Pen pals

New York owned an 8-3 lead after the top of the seventh, thanks to a bizarre error by center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who threw toward first base on a Gregorius flyout, believing that he had Luke Voit doubled off. No fielder was nearby to accept the throw as two runs came home. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

Kahnle, Adam Ottavino, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman combined to close out the victory, though it wasn't exactly comfortable. Britton escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth, striking out Bradley and inducing Christian Vazquez to hit into a fielder's choice. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

Benintendi stroked a two-run single off Chapman in the ninth, but the closer recovered to strike out Michael Chavis and seal New York's third win of their week-long trip to Minneapolis and Boston. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

"This was heavy, this game," Boone said. "It looked like we were pulling away and going to walk away; they kept throwing baserunners up there to make it tough. Britt made some big pitches there to get out of the eighth and then Chappy the same." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-defeat-sale-red-sox-in-series-finale

As for Arizona’s previous game,

Unlike New York they didn’t have an off day on Monday as they had to play their finale of their four game series at Marlins Park where they suffered an 11-6 loss to Miami.

Things unraveled quickly for starter Merrill Kelly and the D-backs in the second inning as six of the first seven batters reached base, capped by a two-run homer from Miguel Rojas, his third in as many games. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/merrill-kelly-sunk-by-6-run-inning-vs-marlins

It wasn’t just that they yielded the six runs: The D-backs also committed a pair of errors firing the ball around the infield on a safety squeeze, an uncharacteristic sloppy play for a team that prides itself on its fundamentals. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

They ran a play we were prepared for, we talked about, we practiced and it turned into four or five extra runs,” Lovullo said. “So, we need to tighten that up. It couldn’t have been any tougher for us in that inning where we gave up six runs. We just did not play Arizona Diamondbacks baseball.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

Several D-backs have surfaced in rumors, including starter Robbie Ray, reliever Andrew Chafin and outfielder Jarrod Dyson, and Lovullo was asked if he thought the Trade Deadline chatter was a factor in the way his team played in this series. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

“It could be,” he said. “What I would say to the guys is [that] this game is hard enough as it is, and if you’re going to add in some outside distractions you can’t really control, then you need to regain that focus and go out there and do the things you can do. And do your job the best way you can. Take care of your business the way you’re supposed to.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

Arizona first baseman Christian Walker said he doesn’t think the pending Deadline has caused the team to lose focus. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

“You hear things here and there, but we do a good job of blocking it out,” Walker said. “I feel like that’s not the reason why the game has been going how it goes. I feel like it’s just a matter of bearing down, cleaning it up and us all trusting each other and pulling the same rope.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on Yes and Fox and FS-A.