James Paxton Terrific In New York's Rout Of Texas
Make that seven straight wins for the former Seattle Mariner turned New York Yankee.
Paxton equaled his season-high mark with 12 strikeouts, improving to 7-0 with a 2.98 ERA in his last seven starts dating to Aug. 2. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
The first Yankee to win seven straight starts since Ivan Nova was victorious in eight straight 2011 outings, Paxton credits the resurgence of his curve for the recent success. After throwing it 13.6 percent of the time in his first 18 starts, Paxton’s curve usage has spiked to 24.7 percent in his last seven outings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
“It’s a long season, it’s a game of adjustments,” catcher Gary Sánchez said through a translator. “I think the last three or four outings he has been really, really good and he’s done great. He made adjustments when he had to and that’s what this game is about.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
On Tuesday, Texas struck out on all five at-bats ending with Paxton’s curve, a pitch against which opponents are batting .178 (16-for-90) this season. It has been even more effective over his last seven starts, during which opponents have managed just a .143 (5-for-35) batting average.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
“It’s been a great pitch for me lately,” Paxton said. “It really slows guys down. I’m doing a good job of getting in the dirt when I want to get some swings and misses. It looks like my fastball coming out, so it’s a really good combo.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
James Paxton was terrific but you can’t win ball games without a great offense behind you and that the guys in pinstripes were after being shutout by Mike Minor in the opener. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
Paxton was supported quickly by the first of Sanchez’s two homers, and the bats broke the game open with six runs in the sixth inning, as Didi Gregorius, Sanchez and Brett Gardner all went deep. Sanchez’s second homer was his 34th, a career high for him and a new single-season high for a Yankees catcher. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
“For me, it’s an honor, understanding all the great catchers this organization has had over the years,” Sanchez said. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
Six in the sixth
Gregorius has lamented a few false starts since his return to the lineup in June, still looking for the trademark hot streak during which he can carry the Bombers’ lineup. The shortstop hopes that he found something with a sixth-inning swing that produced a three-run homer off Ariel Jurado. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
“I was hitting the ball hard, but I was hitting it on the ground,” Gregorius said. “I was trying to make contact a little bit more. I finally got one in the air, so that was pretty good. Hopefully I just keep that going.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
Sanchez followed Gregorius’ blast with an impressive drive to right-center field, clinching his 14th career multihomer game, and Gardner greeted reliever Jonathan Hernandez with a two-run blast. New York scored all six runs before recording an out. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
“It's just the things that happen,” Gregorius said. “Everybody is ready to go. It's what we can do.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
History happened here
Activated from the injured list prior to Tuesday’s game, Edwin Encarnacion's seventh-inning homer secured the Yankees’ place as the first team in Major League history to boast 13 players with double digits in the home run column. The previous record of 12 was set by last year’s Yankees. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
Sanchez followed Gregorius’ blast with an impressive drive to right-center field, clinching his 14th career multihomer game, and Gardner greeted reliever Jonathan Hernandez with a two-run blast. New York scored all six runs before recording an out. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
“It's just the things that happen,” Gregorius said. “Everybody is ready to go. It's what we can do.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
History happened here
Activated from the injured list prior to Tuesday’s game, Edwin Encarnacion's seventh-inning homer secured the Yankees’ place as the first team in Major League history to boast 13 players with double digits in the home run column. The previous record of 12 was set by last year’s Yankees. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/james-paxton-ties-season-high-strikeouts-yankees-home-runs
Meanwhile, Texas was on the other end of the spectrum in the second game of the three game series.
Yankees left-hander James Paxton was dealing from his first pitch. He went seven innings, allowing one hit and striking out 12. The Rangers didn’t get any players in scoring position and the club didn’t collect its first hit until the fifth inning, when Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to right field. But Kiner-Falefa was left at first when Delino DeShields struck out to end the inning. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
Shin-Soo Choo in particular struggled, striking out three times against Paxton. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
“He has really good stuff,” Woodward said of Paxton. “He was throwing 97 at the top of the zone. He kind of moved his fastball around. He has that 95 mile an hour cutter. He was executing his curveball. Elvis [Andrus] stated in our hitter’s meeting, if Paxton has it going for strikes, it makes it really tough [at the plate].” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
The Rangers have the worst batting average in the Majors since the All-Star break, with a slugging percentage below .400 in the same span. Asked about the state of the team’s offense, Woodward said, “We are not scoring runs like we’d like to, but nobody is raising any red flags or panicking. Today, we got beat by a really good pitcher. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
“Prior to today, there are a lot of things we are working on. We have a pretty young lineup. We are missing pretty important pieces in the middle of the lineup. I’m not freaking out about our offense. There is a lot of growth. There is a lot of learning going on.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
Scott Heineman gave Texas one fun highlight to look back on in the game, as he hit his first career home run -- a solo tater in the ninth inning to erase New York's shutout bid. The smile on Heineman’s face said it all as he was rounding the bases. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
“It was a special feeling, obviously excited,” Heineman said. “Growing up, my dad envisioned me playing shortstop for the Yankees. I said, ‘Dad, come on.’ He saw me possibly doing it after Derek Jeter. Obviously, that didn’t happen. For me to hit my first home run here, just with all the history and both my parents being from New York, it’s pretty special to me.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
Heineman’s home run ball hit off the arm of Yankees fan Ryan Kindler before his father, Eric, caught the ball. Ryan ended up with a slight bruise. The entire stadium thought Eric threw the ball back on the field, but they had actually kept it and thrown back a decoy. They had no idea it was Heineman’s first home run.”according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
“But we were not throwing it back [on the field], regardless,” Eric said. “It was surreal at first.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
It ended well for everyone, however, as the father and son duo delivered Heineman the special ball in person after the game. After receiving the ball from Ryan, Heineman gave Ryan an autographed baseball and a bat as tokens of his appreciation. Eric also received a bat, so they both have souvenirs with which to remember their Yankee Stadium adventure. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-offense-lacking-middle-game-against-yankees
New York and Texas are supposed to play their finale on Wednesday night but mother nature could hinder those plans as their is a chance of a strong afternoon thunderstorm with clouds breaking tonight with a breeze.