REBOUND MACHINE
Severino bounces back from worst start of season for 10th win
Before Thursday night’s Subway Series finale, Yankees manager Joe Giradi was asked how good Luis Severino is at putting yesterday behind him.
It was a reference to Severino’s previous outing, when the right-hander surrendered eight earned runs in 4 ¹ /3 innings in a 10-5 loss to the Red Sox. Suffice it to say, it wasn’t the type of performance Yankees have grown accustomed to seeing out of their AllStar ace.
“I think he’s pretty good at doing that,” Girardi said. “Our hope is he’ll get back to being Sevy today.” That wish was granted. Big time. In 6 ¹/3 innings Thursday, Severino gave up just four hits and one run, which was unearned, in the Yankees’ 7-5 win. A two-base error by Aaron Judge on a deep fly ball from Travis d’Arnaud led to the Mets’ only run with Severino dealing.
The 23-year-old also fanned nine batters, bringing his strikeout total to 175, which ranks fourth in the Ameri- can League behind Chris Sale, Chris Archer and Corey Kluber. Not bad company.
“I would say the difference tonight was his slider and his changeup,” catcher Gary Sanchez said.
Severino said his ability to get ahead in the count, which he struggled to do in his previous start, was key.
“I think the last time I tried to pitch around the batters, this time I went after them,” he said.
Severino, who improved to 10-5 with a 3.18 ERA, didn’t just deliver on the mound. In the fourth inning, he recorded his first career hit, a pop-up bunt that Mets first baseman Dominic Smith could not corral. It wasn’t conventional, but it worked, and Severino came around to score on Sanchez’s single to left field.
“A hit is a hit,” Severino said. “I’ll take it.”
Sanchez had a monster night of his own, tying a career-high with five RBIs. His three-run homer in the first provided a nice cushion for Severino. Those runs proved crucial later, however, as Curtis Granderson’s ninth-inning grand slam off Bryan Mitchell made things interesting. Dellin Betances got the final three outs to seal Severino’s 10th win of what has been a breakout season.