ST. PETERSBURG
http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-john-lackey-jersey , Fla. (AP) — Luis Severino is making his bid to be on the mound and throwing to
catcher Gary Sanchez in the New York Yankees‘ playoff opener.Severino won his
19th game, the struggling Sanchez drove in four runs for the first time since
early April and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-2 on Tuesday night to keep
up their push for home-field advantage in the AL wild-card game.Severino (19-8)
is competing for Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ to start in the Oct. 3
winner-take-all game against Oakland. The Yankees opened a 2½-game lead over the
Athletics for home-field advantage.“I’m ready for anything,” Severino
said.Severino was 14-2 at the All-Star break but lost six of his next nine
decisions before beating Boston and Tampa Bay in his last two outings. He gave
up two runs and four hits in five-plus innings, and is third in the major
leagues in wins behind Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell (21) and Cleveland’s Corey Kluber
(20).Severino appeared to lose concentration after the Yankees’ seven-run third
inning.“It was a long inning,” Severino said. “I don’t think I warmed up that
good. But after that everything was great.”Brandon Lowe hit a two-run double
with no outs, but Ji-Man Choi was thrown out trying to score from first. Choi
was hurt on the play and needed stitches for a cut left ear and also experienced
concussion-like symptoms.Sanchez had been 10 for 66 (.152) since returning Sept.
1 from a groin strain and 1 for his last 28, dropping his average to .180.“I
think he’s just struggled to find his way a little bit offensively and dug
himself a hole,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “The one thing I keep telling
him, it’s not too late to dig out.”Sanchez hit a three-run homer off Jalen
Beeks, his first long ball since Sept. 10, and added an RBI single in the
fifth.“Definitely a tough season for me
Ben Zobrist Jersey ,” Sanchez said through a translator. “But, whatever I’ve already done this season is in the past, and the struggles are in the past.
This definitely won’t be a season that’s going to be one favorites, for sure.
The focus is to concentrate on the next game and concentrate to keep performing
and help the team.”New York improved to 97-60, its most wins since going 97-65
in 2011. The Yankees are 37 games over .500 for the first time since finishing
103-59 in 2009, their last World Series title.Adeiny Hechavarria homered against
Jake Faria (4-4) leading off the third. Luke Voit had an RBI double, Beeks
walked Neil Walker with the bases loaded, Miguel Andujar hit a sacrifice fly and
Sanchez followed with his 17th homer. Sanchez’s only other four-RBI game this
year was April 11 against Boston.Andujar added his 26th homer in the ninth. He
only trails Aaron Judge (52 in 2017) and Joe DiMaggio (29 in 1936) for the most
home runs by a Yankees’ rookie.Faria allowed three runs and four hits in 2 1/3
innings. His night ended after catching a 108.5 mph head-high liner by Aaron
Judge. The right-hander bent over afterwards with both hands on his legs and
exhaled.“I threw my hands up to get my head out of the way and the ball went in
my glove,” Faria said. “I’ve never seen anything hit that hard come at my face
before.”TRAINER’S ROOMYankees: CF Aaron Hicks (left hamstring) should play
within a few days, the Yankees said. … SS Didi Gregorius (torn cartilage in
right wrist) is the be re-examined Wednesday. … INF Gleyber Torres (hip/groin)
was scratched but could start Wednesday.Rays: Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said
Choi was cleared of a concussion but is in concussion protocol. … CF Kevin
Kiermaier (sore shoulder) started after missing one game. … C Michael Perez
(left hamstring) won’t play again this season. … Cash said INF Daniel Robertson
(left thumb surgery) is doing on-field work and is ready to have a normal
offseason.STREAKINGRays LF Tommy Pham doubled in the first and extended his
career-high on-base streak to 27 games, the longest active run in the AL. He has
a hit in 26 of them. Pham got hit near the left elbow by a Severino pitch in the
third but stayed in the gameMINORS’ MATTERSINF Thairo Estrada hit a long homer
in his first instructional league game against the Pirates. He started the year
on the DL after being shot in the right thigh during a January robbery attempt
in Venezuela and then had a regular season-ending back injury at Triple-A
Scranton-Wilkes/Barre.UP NEXTYankees Tanaka (12-5) starts Wednesday for the
Yankees. He has allowed two or fewer runs in nine of his last 12 starts. The
Rays will use reliever Ryne Stanek (2-3) as the opener. OAKLAND
http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-anthony-rizzo-jersey , Calif. (AP) The Oakland Athletics are doing away with traditional season-ticket
plans for next season in favor of a membership program that will let fans to buy
general admission tickets, reserve seats and also receive special perks.The
change in approach is geared to offer fans both the ability to buy ticket
packages similar to the way they usually would or have more flexible
options.”A’s Access” memberships, which the team calls the first of their kind,
will go on sale Friday and include benefits such as half-price concessions, a
25-percent merchandise discount and parking.In addition, fans who enter into
these ticket memberships will receive an allotment of seat upgrade credits for
other games they didn’t originally purchase. There will be a 12-month payment
plan option that can be renewed each year.The A’s are averaging 17,903 fans per
game at the Coliseum this season, third lowest in the majors ahead of only Tampa
Bay and Miami.—
