In Between the Pinstripes #43

In Between the Pinstripes_43: Masa-terful

The bombers are going back to Houston with a chance to close it out against Justin Verlander in Game 6 on Friday. Tonight’s game was as picturesque as you could get. Tanaka went 7 strong, only allowing three hits, striking out eight, and handing the ball off to Tommy Kahnle for two more scoreless innings to shout-out the Astros. Tanaka was just too much for the Houston hitters to handle, baffling every hitter with what they didn’t expect. When the Astro hitters were expecting something hard, they got a breaking ball, and vice versa. Tanaka has looked lights out since mid-late August, and has been worth every penny this postseason. Tommy Kahnle helped out by going two innings (again) helping out the Yankee bullpen heading back to Houston for two very tough games.

The Yankee bats also need as much credit as Tanaka. Every hitter was patient and aggressive against Keuchel and learned from the embarrassing Game 1 performance against Keuchel. The Yankee hitters were patient and didn’t chase the ball out of the zone, worked the counts so they could be aggressive, thus putting Keuchel in a defensive mode in hitters counts.

 Dallas Keuchel however, wasn’t the same pitcher that he was in Game 1. Keuchel didn’t have the sharp cutter and devastating breaking ball that made the bombers do double takes. That was evident in only the 2^nd inning when Starlin Castro doubled off the face of the wall to put the Yanks in business very early. And again, that is where the patience came into play. When the bombers would get a runner into scoring position, they wouldn’t try to put the ball in the seats, but just try to put the bat on the ball and manufacture the run. The power did come later with Gary Sanchez’ solo blast to put the cherry on top of the game—the Yankees didn’t rely on the power department tonight.

Looking ahead to Friday, I like our chances to make some noise against Verlander. I know, I said the same thing in after Game 1, but tonight really showed me something about this lineup. So far throughout the postseason, the Yankees have rocked a starter the second time they have faced them. It happened against Bauer and Kluber in the ALDS, and Keuchel was nothing different. This was in a way a douse of revenge against Keuchel for 2015, Game 1, and the rest of his career against the Yanks.

Friday is different, because it is playoff Verlander, and at home for Houston. The Yankees have a great counter punch to try and knock-out the Astros… Severino. Luis Severino wants this game and should get this game. Sevy has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball this year, and what a better stage for the young fireball throwing right hander than a stage like this. Severino hasn’t truly got his chance to really show out in the postseason so far. From only going a third of an inning in the Wild Card game, to avoiding elimination in Game 4 of the ALDS, and not getting to go out and battle Verlander in Game 2 of this series after a comebacker hit Severino’s left arm.

This game is putting some, but not all the pressure in the world on Severinos’ shoulders. Yes, he could send the bombers back to the World Series, but he just has to pitch his game, and let Verlander sweat it out in the other dugout. All the pressure is on Houston because of the three-game turn around with what happened in the Bronx so far this week. Severino just has to go out and do what he has done all year, and that is just go pitch. It’s that simple, just go pitch and control the game. Make Houston make the plays to stay alive in this series. If Severino does that, he is punching the bombers ticket to the World Series. Man, is this team fun, I cannot wait until Friday, let’s go Yanks!