JUDGE HR HELPS YANKS WIN 50TH
Andujar homers too, bullpen on fire as Bombers complete sweep of Mariners
Luis Severino was not quite himself Thursday, but he still managed to do a good enough job to pick up his 11th win of the season.
The Yankees ace struggled with his command all game, allowing three runs on eight hits over 5.2 innings in a 4-3 win over the Mariners, but was one pitch away from turning in a quality start before allowing an RBI single to Ben Gamel to knock him out of the game.
It was the fourth time this season Severino was unable to go at least six innings.
“Every time they give me the ball I want to go there and have a good game,” he said. “Today wasn’t the best. Wasn’t feeling that good. Not good — comfortable. Missing some pitches. Getting deep in counts.”
Aaron Boone was still impressed with the way Severino grinded through a shaky outing.
“You come to expect him to go out and dominate time and time again,” Boone said. “When he has a little bump in the road like today, it’s still good enough to get through the middle innings and still leave us with a lead. I think it’s a tribute to just how good a pitcher he’s become.” DON’T BE SILLY
The Yankees entered Thursday’s game on pace to hit a MLB-record 274 home runs this year and added two more in the win.
But if you think the Yankees relying on home runs too much is a negative, don’t tell Boone.
“I think it’s a silly argument. I really do,” he said. “Does it bother me? Yeah that bothers me. If a great pitcher shuts us down, it’s because a great pitcher shuts us down. He can shut down a team that doesn’t hit home runs too. If (Justin) Verlander has a good outing against us or (James) Paxton goes out and shuts us down it’s going to be because we didn’t hit homers and we strike out? I think it’s a silly argument.” TANAKA UPDATE
Masahiro Tanaka continues to make progress with his strained hamstrings that landed him on the DL June 9.
The righthander, who was seen jumping up and down after Giancarlo Stanton’s walk-off home run Wednesday night, threw off flat ground on Thursday and will travel with the Yankees to Tampa Bay.
“Masa is doing well,” Boone said. “He threw again off flat ground today, I think spun some balls too . ... I think he’s scheduled for a bullpen Sunday and then progress from there.” CESSA UP
The Yankees recalled Luis Cessa from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and placed reliever A.J. Cole on the 10-day DL with a pinched nerve in his neck.