“I’ve always thought, just go out there and do your job”, Tanaka said.
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Tanaka takes a five-game winning streak to the mound Saturday afternoon when the Yankees continue their playoff pursuit in the third contest of a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.
Teixeira doubled off the left-field wall in the third against Blake Snell (5-8) and scored on a wild pitch.
Refsnyder fielded Longoria’s liner in one motion, stayed on his feet and quickly made the throw to the plate to prevent Forsythe from scoring.
Sanchez connected for the second straight day, giving the 23-year-old rookie 13 home runs in 125 at-bats this season.
The Yankees took a 1-0 lead two batters in when Refsnyder’s double got past left fielder Corey Dickerson and drove in Jacoby Ellsbury, who had singled. Just the Yankees these days.
The next day, Gary Sanchez was promoted, Alex Rodriguez played his last game the following week and since Tanaka’s last loss, the Yankees (75-65) are 22-12 while one game out of the second wild-card spot and four out of first. NY 1Bs Mark Teixeira and Tyler Austin are a combined 4-for-9 with two homers, five RBIs and three runs scored in this series.2.
He got his bat head out early and drove a 94 miles per hour fastball into the Yankees’ bullpen in right-center for his 12th home run this season, the 406th of his career, and his 11th big league slam.
The right-hander also has allowed two runs or fewer in 19-of-28 starts this season, tied for the most in the American League. And the Yankees want to give time at first base to rookie Tyler Austin.
Sanchez ended his 35th game by increasing his RBI total to 24 with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. But Romero’s first pitch floated toward the strike zone at 52 miles per hour and Sanchez pounced, mashing it roughly 400 feet to the warning track in center field, leaving just enough room for Mikie Mahtook to make the catch before Brett Gardner scored on the sac fly.
The Yankees are 11 games over.500, building on what already was a season high, and have won nine of 11 and 13 of 17.
“As far as the eighth inning is concerned, I’m not really going to talk about it other than to say it’s embarrassing”, said Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash. “To go out there on the field during the pregame ceremony with the firefighters and police officers and first responders and hear their stories was just shocking and sad and fantastic”.
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NY added two in the third when Sanchez sent a full count fastball from Snell over the center field fence and Teixeira scored on a wild pitch. Over 29 starts and an 8-17 record, Archer holds a 4.06 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP in 175.1 innings. He has dropped his last five decisions to the Yankees after winning his first five. “But I think we have younger guys up, obviously, and sort of the new guys are providing positive energy into the clubhouse and the team”. He has more innings, more strikeouts and at least as many wins as the two pitchers ahead of him.
