New York To Use An Opener As They Host Cleveland
After sweeping their American League East foe Baltimore in the final meeting of the season on Wednesday New York will step out of their division to host Cleveland who is a member of the American League Central starting Thursday for a four game series.
As New York has done a lot this season they will use an opener instead of a regular starter in the rotation to open the four game series against Cleveland with Chad Green getting the start. When using an opener they’re 11-1 with their only loss coming to Toronto on August 10th at Rogers Centre. “according to https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/mlb/yankees/2019/08/10/using-opener-yankees-cant-close-out-toronto/1966583001/
New York who is leading their division comes into the opening game with a record of 81-41 while Cleveland who is in second place in their division comes into the opening game with a record of 72-49. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings
As stated above,
Chad Green will start the opening game for New York. The right -hander comes into the opening game with a record of 2-3 with an earn run average of 4.69. Chad Green is expected to once again be tabbed as the Yankees' opener on Thursday as the club opens their series against the Indians. Green has allowed three runs in 15 innings (1.80 ERA) as an opener this year, striking out 23 against five walks. He will oppose Cleveland right -hander Adam Plutsko who comes into the opening game with a record of 4-3 with a 4.68 earn run average. Plutko allowed four runs in six innings against the Twins last time out, and he didn't hide his frustration, saying, "This one's gonna sting for a while." In his only career start against the Yankees, Plutko allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers
As for New York’s previous game,
The final meeting of the season between New York who is leading the American League East and Baltimore who is last in the division took place on Wednesday in the Bronx with New York coming out on top and earning a sweep thanks to their starting catcher Gary Sanchez.
Sanchez belted his 10th home run off Baltimore pitching to power a 6-5 victory and complete a four-game series sweep on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. The Bombers backstop joined his fellow Bird basher Torres (13) as the second pair of teammates in franchise history to slug double-digit homers against a single opponent. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
The funny thing about that is that we're not thinking about records or anything like that," Sanchez said through a translator. "We're trying to go out there to have good at-bats, just hit the ball as best as we can. We've got good results, but we're never thinking about records." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
The Yankees turned on the clubhouse fog machine and held a family picnic on the infield grass to celebrate their rewriting of the history books, concluding the season series with 16 consecutive victories over Baltimore, their longest single-season streak since winning 21 straight over the 1927 St. Louis Browns. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
By going 17-2 against the O's, it represented the Yanks' best showing since they won 17 of 22 against the Kansas City Athletics in 1959. They also established a Major League record by belting 61 home runs against a single opponent, having homered in all 19 games against Baltimore. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
I think it’s a little fluky, a little crazy to win that many games against a team, especially after we dropped a couple in the first series against them," manager Aaron Boone said. "To have that kind of run, things have got to line up a little bit for you, but it’s also a credit to our guys and the quality team that we are." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
The Orioles can rest easier until next March 26, when Sanchez, Torres and company are scheduled to don their road grays and trot to the third-base line for the Opening Day festivities in Baltimore. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
"We don’t have to play them anymore [this year], so I guess that’s a good thing," Orioles starter Dylan Bundy said. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
New York starter J.A. Happ spotted the O's a first-inning run, but Didi Gregorius tied the game with a run-scoring single and Sanchez gave his club the lead with a three-run homer that rocketed over the center-field wall. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
The blast linked Sanchez and Torres alongside the Murderer's Row duo of Ruth and Gehrig, who each mashed 11 home runs off Red Sox pitchers in 1927. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
"It's wild to put that in perspective that way, when you say those names," Happ said. "I think it just shows how locked in they can be. That's always good to see for us. We'll try to carry that over. I'm sure those guys will take that confidence over into their next ABs and our next series." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
Happ picked up the win, limiting Baltimore to two runs over five innings, and Mike Ford contributed a two-run single in the sixth. Luis Cessa allowed three runs, but Adam Ottavino, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman made the lead hold up as the Yankees improved to a season-high 40 games over .500 (81-41). “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
"It's been fun to be a part of," Aaron Judge said. "It doesn't matter who we're playing when we go out there, we're giving them our best. Our pitching has stepped up, and our hitters one through nine, we've got guys who can go up there and do damage. It's a tough lineup to try to get through. It's relentless." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
As the afternoon progressed, another hallowed name emerged from Monument Park, where Sanchez's homer landed. Torres also legged out a sixth-inning double, becoming the first Yankee to record 17 extra-base hits against one opponent in a single season since Mickey Mantle had 18 extra-base hits against the 1957 White Sox. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
“They're a couple of great young players that not only have already done a lot in this game, but the future is very bright and they’re going to do a lot of special things like that," Boone said of Sanchez and Torres. "It just so happens that they’ve had really good results against the Orioles this year, and maybe in years to come it’ll be somebody else." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
And to that, the rest of the American League may have gulped. New York completed the season series batting .303/.386/.632 against the Orioles, scoring 151 runs -– their second-most against an opponent in the divisional era (since 1969), only trailing the 154 runs that the 2017 squad put up against Baltimore. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
"For us as a team, it doesn't matter who we're playing, we're going to go out there to win," Sanchez said. "We've gotten really good results against Baltimore, but at the same time, it doesn't matter. We go out there to play hard and play to win." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-win-16th-straight-vs-orioles
Unlike New York, Cleveland lost their previous game as they lost to New York’s division rival Boston.
Not even an illness could keep Shane Bieber from getting penciled into the Indians' history books. “according https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
Because he felt sick to his stomach, the Tribe's starter almost didn't make it out of the second inning. But Bieber was able to dig deep, grinding through six innings in the Indians' 5-1 loss to the Red Sox at Progressive Field on Wednesday afternoon. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
He woke up feeling sick. He was nauseous the entire game and he gave us six," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "I mean, there was a chance after the second inning that he was gonna come out of that game and he stayed out there for six innings and gave us a chance to win. That was impressive." “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
In the top of the fifth inning, the 24-year-old recorded his 200th strikeout of the season on an 85.4-mph slider to J.D. Martinez, becoming the youngest Indians pitcher to reach the milestone since 21-year-old Dennis Eckersley in 1976. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
"It's nice," Bieber said. "It's obviously something guys, including myself, try to reach. There was a lot of talk last year if I was going to do it or not. ... There was a lot of smack talk in between seasons and in the offseason. It's nice to do it. I'm sure I'll reflect on it later." “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
Bieber came out of Spring Training as the team's No. 5 starter, and although Francona pays little attention to a hurler's spot in the rotation after week one of the season, Bieber has shined in his second big league season, becoming one of the Tribe's top arms in the rotation. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
The righty entered his 25th start on Wednesday with 156 1/3 innings under his belt, putting him on pace to eclipse 200 innings by the end of the regular season. If -- or when -- he reaches that mark, Bieber will become the youngest Tribe pitcher to work that many innings since CC Sabathia in 2001 and the youngest Cleveland member of the 200 innings pitched and 200 strikeouts club since Sam McDowell tossed 236 1/3 innings with 236 K's in 1968. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
Bieber entered play on Wednesday ranking third in WHIP in the American League (1.00), tied for third in opponents' batting average (.213) and fourth in strikeouts (193). On top of Bieber's name getting penciled into the Indians' history books, the first-time All-Star already brought home some hardware this season, being named the All-Star Game MVP for striking out the side in his one inning on the mound at Progressive Field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
Bieber's two runs in six frames against the Red Sox may not have been his strongest outing of the year as he battled through his sickness -- in fact, it was his shortest start since July 19 (having two complete games sandwiched in between) -- but the righty turned in his fifth straight quality start, striking out seven and walking one on 107 pitches. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
"Yeah, I was kind of feeling that way all morning," Bieber said. "Kind of turned a corner there in the fourth inning, so I don't really think it's much of a story. Felt good enough to go out there and compete." “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
Despite feeling ill, Bieber knew he was facing a difficult lineup. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
"Pretty relentless, just not really any spots to take a break," Bieber said of the Red Sox's lineup. "But going where we're going this year, just gotta get used to pitching in those games and against those types of lineups, because they're one of those lineups that can put some damage on you and do some damage. You've got to be able to combat that and just be better." “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
Boston put the game out of reach by turning those two runs into five on a rare three-run inning off Nick Goody. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
Goody's streak of 17 consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run came to an end Wednesday afternoon, after he intentionally walked Rafael Devers -- who went 8-for-10 against the Indians in the last two games -- to get to Xander Bogaerts in the top of the seventh. With two men on, Bogaerts launched his second homer of the game. Goody had given up two runs -- both unearned -- on nine hits with 23 strikeouts through his previous 20 innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
"Yeah, sometimes it's a little bit like pick your poison," Francona said of the intentional walk. "I mean, Devers is in one of those streaks right now where it looks like he's playing softball. It didn't make me feel good with the result, but I would have had a more difficult time if [Devers had come through]. We've got an open base and we've got a guy that's 8-for-9. Pitching to him, that didn't seem to make sense." “according to https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/shane-bieber-200-strikeouts
First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on Yes and SportsTime Ohio.