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Sports
Yankees hope their hot start leads to postseason success
Yankees left fielder/center fielder Aaron Judge has had a strong start to this season (MLB.com photo)
Mets starter Carlos Carrasco has been a solid member of the pitching rotation this season with a record of 3-1 and 3.19 ERA in six starts (MLB.com photo)
By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews
It’s far too early for the Yankees to focus on the postseason. But you have to win to get there, and they have been racking up victories since defeating their American League East rival Boston Red Sox, 6-5, in 11 innings in their open ing game on April 8. The Yankees were 20-8 heading into Tuesday night’s game versus the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, at the time a tie with the Mets and Los Angeles Angels for the most wins in Major League Baseball
They have already strung together an 11game winning streak, going unbeaten from April 22 through May 3, before it ended with a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays on the road on May 4. It was the Yankees longest winning streak since taking 13 straight last August. ”Winning 11 in a row, that’s no small task. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing,” noted Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson after the defeat.
The loss was intense and heated. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was thrown out of the game in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes with slugger Aaron Judge at the plate. “He stood up for us, and stood up for me, and I appreci ate it,” said Judge.
The left fielder/center fielder went into Tuesday night’s contest against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium tied with four players for the Major League Baseball home run lead with nine; one of those players was first baseman and teammate Anthony Rizzo. The 30-year-old Judge is outperforming the seven-year, $213 million extension the team offered him at the start of this season.
The Yankees’ pitching has also been efficient, leading the American League in the least runs allowed per game at 2.68. Lefty starter Nestor Cotes continued the Yankees’ sterling pitching to begin the week by taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Monday in a 1-0 shutout in the Bronx over the Texas Rangers. Cortes’ no-hit bid was broken up on his 103rd pitch, a bloop single by Rangers center fielder Eli White. The outing lowered Cortes’ ERA to 1.41 and he’s 1-1 in six starts.
The Yankees hosted the Blue Jays again last night before going on an eight-game road trip that starts to night in Chicago versus the White Sox and continues for four games in Baltimore facing the Orioles. They return home next Friday to play a three-game series against the White Sox.
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The Mets continue to meet high expectations in the absence of de Grom 04/21/22 0 74470 22784 7
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AMNEWS 04/21/22
By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor
With a 4-2 win against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday to open a three-game series on the road, the Mets have met early season expectations even without ace Jacob de Grom.
The four-time AllStar and two-time Cy Young Award winner has not pitched in a game since last July when he was placed on the injured list with forearm tightness. He was shut down again this spring training with a right scapula injury in his right (throwing) shoulder and there is no definitive timetable for his return.
But it’s been the ‘next man up’ mantra that has propelled the Mets to a league-tying best 21 wins (21-10) heading into last They added one more in the eighth, and relievers Drew Smith and Joely Rodriquez held the Nationals down before closer Edwin Diaz earned his seventh save in eight opportunities. The 35-year-old AMNEWS Carrasco, who is 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in six starts, isn’t the only Met who has filled the 04/28/22 void left by de Grom’s absence. Tylor Megill has been outstanding. The 26-year-old righty, who was the Mets’ scheduled starter last night, went into the game 4-1 and boasted a 2.43 ERA in six starts. At the plate, the Mets were second in all of baseball in team batting average at .256 with a .381 slugging percentage. AMNEWS After finishing the series with Nationals yesterday afternoon, the Mets 05/05/22 are scheduled to play their next seven games at their home park Citi Field, starting with a three tomorrow against the Seattle Mariners and four hosting the St. Louis Cardinals.
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