WE HAVE LIFTOFF!
HOUSTON — This is why they’re called the Evil Empire. Luis Severino, their burgeoning 24-year-old ace, dominated the defending World Series champions on the mound. Giancarlo Stanton, their $295 million superstar slugger, blasted a pair of homers against a long-time Yankee killer. And Gleyber Torres, their 21-year-old wunderkind at second, may have saved the game with a brilliant ranging catch up the middle.
Stanton launches pair, Sevy goes distance in shutout win over Stros
Backed by Stanton’s power and Torres’ glove, Severino posted his first career completegame shutout, and the Bombers blanked the Astros for the second straight time, winning 4-0 on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park. The Yankees have won five of six on their seven-game road trip and 11 of 12 overall. Severino (5-1, 2.11 ERA) allowed just five hits, walked one and struck out a season-high 10. At 24 years, 71 days old, he became the youngest Yankees pitcher to throw a shutout since Sterling Hitchcock (24 years, 22 days) on May 21, 1995 against Baltimore. “It was an elite performance. Period,” Aaron Boone said. Severino, who used 110 pitches, had compiled a 6.43 ERA in his previous three starts in Houston (including playoffs).
“It means a lot,” Severino said. “To be able to go through that nine innings with (Austin) Romine, that’s special.”
Boone asked Severino in the seventh and eighth innings if he felt good and wanted to keep going. The answer was an emphatic yes. “I just felt like he had a lot left in the tank,” the manager said. A day after going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, Stanton, who had been hitless in his previous 10 at-bats, homered twice off Dallas Keuchel — the first time any Yankee had ever gone deep against the lefty.