The Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka is in the midst a special kind of stretch, none of which had to be explained to the Los Angeles Angels after he pitched NY to an easy 7-0 victory Friday night. Aaron Judge’s single drove in Starlin Castro and McCann to swell the Yankees’ advantage to 5-0.
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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.
Pressed into the rotation due to Nathan Eovaldi’s season-ending elbow surgery and the recent demotion of Luis Severino, Cessa gave up just three hits – all singles – with one walk and five strikeouts.
In St. Petersburg, Florida, Adrian Beltre led off consecutive innings with home runs and Cole Hamels didn’t give up a hit until the sixth inning.
Three of Green’s first four starts did not go well, but the work he did in the minors earlier this month is paying off for the 25-year-old righthander as he’s allowed one run over his past 12 innings. Tanaka did not allow a run in 7 2/3 innings. The light-hitting Torreyes, hitting only.218 entering the game, stole the spotlight with his big night.
Tonight, the Yankees begin a six game road trip on the West Coast with a three game series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (51-70).
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Yankees are -140 money line favorites versus the Angels, who have odds of +125 to pull off the upset tonight in L.A. With Masahiro Tanaka set to oppose Jered Weaver on the pitching matchup, the over/under now sits at 8 runs.
“When he’s going well, he has the ability to locate pitches and change speeds”, said Scioscia, who has two years and $12 million left on his contract.
“He was always pulling for me from day one”, Pujols said.
After giving up a single to Jefry Marte in the seventh, Cessa was relieved by Tyler Clippard, who almost gave up a home run to C.J. Cron, but Brett Gardner dived into the stands in left to make the out. Gregorius and Castro hit successive singles before Brian McCann walked. Aggressive baserunning allowed him to score from second on Simmons’ first single.
Yankees: 3B Chase Headley (sore Achilles) was held out, but is expected to return to the lineup Saturday.
The Angels’ offense offered no support against Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who is very much going in the opposite direction of Weaver. Los Angeles recalled RHP A.J.Achter from Triple-A Salt Lake, optioned 1B Ji-Man Choi to the same club and signed free agent LHP Manny Banuelos.
No one was more disappointed than Weaver as the Angels had shown signs of moving on from their poor play over the recent weeks in their previous series against Seattle, but this game resembled numerous Angels’ losses this season.
In Denver, Ryan Raburn hit an RBI double and continued home when Chicago threw away the relay, capping a two-run rally in the 11th.
Before Friday’s game, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he hadn’t closed the book on Weaver. Fernando Salas picked up his second save in two tries since the Angels placed two other closers – Huston Street and Cam Bedrosian – on the disabled list.
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After allowing the first-inning run, Green settled in and retired nine of 10 batters over the next three innings. Pineda pitched five scoreless innings against Toronto in his last outing and has won five of his last six starts.
