Seiffert qualifies for Travelers again
ELLINGTON — Ever the master of the understatement, Chase Seiffert proclaimed that he was happy to be back at Ellington Ridge Country Club. Was he ever.
Last year Seiffert shared medalist honors with a 67 in the annual Travelers Championshp 4-spot qualifier, which happened to be held at Ellington Ridge. Seiffert was back at the course on Monday, and thanks to finishing with a course-record 63, he has qualified for Connecticut’s annual PGA Tour stop for the second year in a row.
“I haven’t shot worse than 5-under here in my four rounds,” said Seiffert, who had an eagle on the 13th hole, eight birdies and one bogey. “You have to drive it well and it is one of my strengths and I seem to putt really slopey greens well and this place has some slopey greens. It just looks good to my eye and I seem to play well.”
Seiffert overcame his lone bogey on No. 8 to birdie to the ninth hole to make the turn at 3 under par 33. He had birdies on 10, 11, 14 and 16 while he made a 30-foot putt for the eagle on the par-5 13th hole to finish three shots ahead of the field.
“I made some really good putts today and played really smart,” Seiffert said.
Last year Seiffert was in contention at the Travelers after shooting 68 and 66 in the first two rounds. He finished tied for 43rd after finishing with rounds of 72 and 71.
“I learned a lot,” Seiffert said. “I played some of the holes poorly off the tee, didn’t pick the targets or good clubs. I think going forward I can have smarter
second against the Yankees. Soto stood and admired this one before beginning his trot around the bases.
“A pitch right in his hot zone. Soto got us again,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously a really good looking player. Two pretty big shots he’s hit against us.”
Soto also was involved in a double play while playing left in the seventh. Didi Gregorius lined to Soto, and he lobbed the ball to shortstop Trea Turner, who sprinted to second base to double off Gary Sanchez.
Soto’s stats — and all others from Game 1 — will count as being part of the originally scheduled game on May 15, but Soto’s official debut will still be considered to have happened on the actual date it happened, according to the Nationals, citing the Elias Sports Bureau.
“I wish he was climbing the ladder more routinely. He should be in about Double-A now,” Boone said. “What can you say? Nineteen and obviously doing really well.”
Wander Suero (1-0) got the win for 1 1-3 scoreless innings — one inning on May 15, and one out on Monday.
Sean Doolittle struck out Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and got Gary Sanchez to fly out to center in the ninth for his 18th save.
The Nationals had lost five of six games entering the day.
Game 2, which was completely rained out May 16, began a half-hour after Game 1 finished, and Washington led 2-1 before Hicks’ ninth homer, which came in the fifth against Erick Fedde (0-2) and got plenty of Yankees fans in the sellout crowd of 42,723 excited — and loud.
The rookie righty lost to the Yankees for the second time in less than a week, giving up three runs in 5 1-3 innings this time.
Stanton provided some cushion with an RBI double off Sammy Solis in the seventh on a day the Nationals added relief help by acquiring Kelvin Herrera in a trade with the Kansas City Royals.
Sonny Gray (5-4) allowed two runs in fiveplus innings, with Mark Reynolds driving in both, via a groundout in the second and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Washington put runners on the corners with no outs in the sixth against Gray, but Jonathan Holder came on in relief and got three quick outs, striking out Reynolds and pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy before getting Pedro Severino to pop out.
In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman pitched around Murphy’s double and a walk for his 21st save, getting Turner to fly out to a backpedaling right fielder Aaron Judge to end it.
HARPER’S DAY
Harper’s batting average is .212 after he went 0 for 5 on Monday, with two strikeouts, three groundouts and a walk. He has one hit in his last 27 atbats.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: OF Brett Gardner didn’t play, a day after an MRI exam showed swelling in his right knee. Boone doesn’t expect Gardner to go on the DL. … With Gardner’s status uncertain, the Yankees recalled OF Clint Frazier from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre and optioned INF Ronald Torreyes there.
Nationals: RHP Jeremy Hellickson, on the DL for two weeks with a strained right hamstring, took fielding practice before the start of play Monday and said he “felt fine.” Hellickson has taken two bullpen sessions and “felt 100 percent,” so expects to be able to return soon. … 1B Matt Adams was “still a little sore” after getting hit by a pitch on a finger Friday and did not play.