Masahiro Tanaka allowed five hits over 7 2/3 innings and Ronald Torreyes had four hits including his first career home run as the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-0 at Angel Stadium.New York (62-59) broke a two-game losing streak to move within five games of the Baltimore Orioles for the second AL wild card and have won all five games against Los Angeles this season.
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Cessa provided much more than that, albeit against a floundering team. “I could throw more fastballs and be more aggressive with everyone”.
It was his 315th career start for the Angels, second in franchise history to Chuck Finley’s 379, but few have gone the way so many are now for the soft-tossing Weaver (8-11).
Dellin Betances came on to work the ninth in a non-save situation, and was greeted rudely on the first pitch by an Albert Pujols home run. OF Brett Gardner was out with a sore foot. Gardner played in Wednesday’s loss to Toronto after missing four games because of the injury, manager Joe Girardi said Gardner will test the ankle before Saturday’s game and make a decision on his fitness. Just going to leave that here.
Gardner almost fell into the stands as he extended back for the grab; he wound up seated briefly atop the short left field fence – propped up by a few fans. “We got him some runs early and his control has been incredible”. It was his first major league start after making eight relief appearances.
Cessa (3-0) allowed three hits, struck out five and walked one. After falling behind 2-and-1, he got Trout on a grounder to shortstop.
Using a fastball that regularly registered at 96-98 miles per hour, on both sides of the plate, along with an effective slider and curveball, Cessa’s work – especially against Trout and Albert Pujols – impressed manager Joe Girardi.
“Right off the bat, I thought it was a home run”, Girardi said.
Cessa struck out Trout in the first inning and also drilled him with a fastball in the sixth.
The Yanks rallied against Angels starter Ricky Nolasco (0-3) with two out in the first inning, starting with Sanchez’s sixth homer of the year – in just his 15th game since being called up from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The four home runs he allowed matched a career-high.
And Sanchez has responded to his manager’s trust by having an impact both at the plate and behind it.
“I definitely take pride in defense – it’s a big part of your job as a catcher”. Brian McCann’s two-run single gave the Yankees a 3-0 advantage in the first. With a runner on first base in the seventh inning, Gardner sprinted from left-center field and made a leaping, one-handed catch of Cron long fly ball while leaning backward into the stands at the short fence near the bullpen.
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, left, throws to second baseman Cliff Pennington, right, in attempt to throw out New York Yankees’ Didi Gregorius at second after fielding a ball hit for a single by Starlin Castro during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, in Anaheim, Calif. Castro hit a two-out single up the middle, then McCann followed suit to send Castro to third base.
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In Seattle, Kyle Seager got the Mariners started with a solo home run, and Robinson Cano added a two-run shot. Pujols sent a 96 miles per hour fastball from Dellin Betances down the left-field line for his 23th homer of the season and the 583rd of his career.Pujols thus tied Mark McGwire for 10th place in career home runs.
