In his latest peak performance Chuck Howley Jersey , Luis Severino took matters into his own hands – and glove.
Severino jumped to steal away a popup from catcher Gary Sanchez while pitching eight sharp innings, leading the New York Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 Saturday.
”He didn’t say, `I got it’ and I was there,” Severino quipped. ”So you know I went for the ball. . He said, `You took it from my glove.”’
Giancarlo Stanton and Sanchez hit back-to-back home runs as New York won for the 13th time in 16 games. It was the Rays’ 18th loss in 22 games at Yankee Stadium.
Severino (10-2) simply overwhelmed a weak-hitting Rays lineup that has produced just one run over its last 21 innings. The 24-year-old righty gave up three hits, struck out nine and walked two, tying Cleveland’s Corey Kluber for the AL win lead.
Severino showed off other talents, too.
In the fifth, Carlos Gomez led off with a popup high above the plate. As Sanchez looked into the sun trying to find the ball, Severino sprung off the mound. They were next to each other, slightly in foul ground, when Severino leaped to catch the ball, right above Sanchez’s mitt.
Took it right away from his best friend on the team, in fact.
”I tried to block it a little bit more with the glove. I found the ball, I was in a good spot and I had it right there,” Sanchez said. ”And I was surprised when I heard the steps. I think it was an instinct of his. He tried to assure his out.”
Sanchez gave Severino a look, perhaps wondering why the pitcher came into the picture T.Y. Hilton Jersey , before they went back to work.
Said Aaron Judge: ”He’s an athlete out there. I think he is trying to win a Gold Glove.”
The play on Gomez came during a stretch of 11 straight batters Severino retired before Joey Wendle singled with two outs in the seventh. Severino then threw a 99 mph fastball past Gomez to strike him out.
Severino was perfect in the eighth, and Chasen Shreve relieved to begin the ninth.
Matt Duffy hit a leadoff homer against Shreve and homered for just the fourth time this year, cutting the lead 4-1, and Jake Bauers followed with a triple that bounced out of center fielder Aaron Hicks‘ glove.
Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman then set down the next three batters for his 20th save in 21 chances.
The Rays have lost 12 of their last 16 games and have one more game in the Bronx on Sunday before continuing their seven-game road trip Monday with three games at defending champion Houston.
”No matter what stage, rebuild or expected to win or whatever, losing always tends to be something that is not fun,” Duffy said. ”We have some adjustments to make.”
New York has won Severino’s last 12 starts going back to Sept. 3. During that span, he is 9-0 with an 1.75 ERA.
Aaron Boone has gotten accustomed to it since taking over as the Yankees manager.
”Obviously, any time he goes I feel great about it,” Boone said. ”He’s a great pitcher. He’s establishing himself as one of the best in the game and he gave us a lot today.”
New York didn’t fare too well against Ryne Stanek, who allowed a hit and struck out one over 1 1/3 scoreless inning on Tampa Bay’s designated ”bullpen day.”
Ryan Yarbrough (5-3) gave up a run in the second on rookie Gleyber Torres‘ two-out double. Didi Gregorius hit an RBI single in the third.
Stanton connected in the fifth for his 16th home run. Four pitches later, Sanchez hit his 13th homer over the center field fence – that snapped a homerless streak of 66 at-bats dating to May 19.
ROSTER MOVES
Prior to the game, the Yankees acquired 2B Wendell Rijo to complete the May 25 trade that sent C Erik Kratz to Milwaukee. The 22-year-old will report to Single-A Tampa. Rijo was hitting .200 with four homers and 14 RBI in 32 games for Double-A Biloxi in the Southern League.
MO-MENTUM
Yankees prospect Jonathan Loaisiga felt honored by the glowing remarks Rays manager Kevin Cash made after the 23-year-old debuted Friday night with a win, throwing five scoreless innings while striking out six while walking four.
Cash compared the Nicaraguan rookie to Mariano Rivera, baseball’s all-time saves leader, but joked he was hopeful that Loaisiga wouldn’t develop the same devastating cutter that the former Yankees closer owned.
”I think that comment is something very flattering because to mention Mariano, you’re talking about a superstar and someone who was historic Pierre Desir Jersey ,” said Loaisiga, adding that he had never met the future Hall of Famer from Panama. ”I think that it’s something that almost too good.”
UP NEXT
Yankees veteran lefty CC Sabathia (4-1, 3.27 ERA) will try to win his third straight start Sunday. For the second consecutive game, Tampa Bay ”start” a reliever, this time Wilmer Font (0-1, 6.87 ERA).
Editors:
To help you with planning for the NBA Draft in Dallas on June 21 in New York, here are some of our coverage plans. Please direct questions to Oscar Dixon (odixon(at)ap.org). Plans subject to change. This digest will be updated. All times Eastern.
THURSDAY, JUNE 21
BKN–NBA DRAFT
NEW YORK – The Phoenix Suns have the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, with big men Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III and Michael Porter Jr. among the top prospects along with Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Developing from 7 p.m. draft.
With:
– BKN–NBA DRAFT-THINGS TO KNOW. By Brian Mahoney. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 5 a.m.
– BKN–NBA DRAFT-THE LATEST, real-time updates on the NBA draft
– Individual stories from each NBA team.
FRIDAY, JUNE 22
BKN–NBA DRAFT-HUERTER’S NIGHT
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – The Associated Press spends the NBA draft with early entrant Kevin Huerter, as he waits for the phone to ring and the next step in his basketball life to be decided. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 750 words Allen Robinson Jersey , photos, video planned by 4 a.m.
SENT PREVIOUSLY:
Features:
BKN–NBA DRAFT-BEST EVER PICKS
Ever wondered who the best picks of the NBA draft were at every draft slot? Wonder no more. From No. 1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to No. 30 Spencer Haywood, a look at the players whose footsteps will be followed by the new NBA players selected on Thursday night. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 1,000 words, photos on June 20
BKN–NBA DRAFT
NEW YORK – Luka Doncic is already a pro, and he has already won championships. A day after capping his brilliant stay in Spain with another title, the Slovenian guard heads the list of international players expected to be selected in the NBA draft and remains perhaps the most accomplished and intriguing player in Thursday’s festivities. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. SENT: 700 words, photos on June 20
BKN–NBA DRAFT-LEBRON FACTOR
CLEVELAND – LeBron James won’t be picking any players in this year’s NBA draft. Not directly anyway. With the three-time champion’s future still uncertain, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the No. 8 overall pick, enter this year’s draft not certain if they’re taking a player as a complementary piece to James, to develop without him or perhaps trade to land another All-Star player. At this point, everything seems in play. By Tom Withers. SENT: 600 words, photos on June 19
BKN–NBA DRAFT-HAWKS-TRADE TALKS
ATLANTA – With four picks in the top 34, including No. 3 overall, the Atlanta Hawks are in position to move up or down in Thursday’s NBA draft. GM Travis Schlenk says he’s getting a lot of calls but says there is space on the rebuilding Hawks roster to carry four rookies next season. By Charles Odum. SENT: 550 words, file photos on June 19
BKN–NBA DRAFT-THE INTERVIEW
CHICAGO – When teams are deciding who to take in the NBA draft Roger Staubach Jersey , the off-court interview still carries enormous weight. What happens on the floor obviously is of great importance as well, but the half-hour chats at the draft combine might be just as critical to teams that need to choose which players merit multi-million-dollar investments. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 800 words, photos on June 18.
BKN–NBA DRAFT-UNDRAFTED LIFE
There’s going to be dozens of players left out in the cold at next week’s NBA draft, players who will not hear their names called by the time the night is over. Udonis Haslem knows how they’ll feel. Undrafted in 2002, Haslem – a Miami native who has spent his entire NBA career with his hometown Miami Heat – has been in the league longer than just about any other active player. Next season will be his 16th in the NBA. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 850 words, photos on June 14.
BKN–THE OFFSEASON
There are a slew of questions that need to be answered in the NBA this offseason. There’s the obvious one: What will LeBron James do? But there are plenty of others, including the future for Kawhi Leonard, the next moves for Chris Paul and Paul George, and whether the league has seen the last of Dwyane Wade. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 950 words, photos on June 9.
Profiles:
BKN–NBA DRAFT-SEXTON
NEW YORK – A year ago Collin Sexton had just graduated from high school and was about to embark on his college career at Alabama. The talented point guard chose an unusual route to start his journey to the NBA but after only one year in the shadows of the pre-eminent college football program in the nation Sexton is only the second Crimson Tide freshman to declare for the NBA draft – and the first under the one-one-done rule. By Terrin Waack. SENT: 650 words, photos on June 20
BKN–NBA DRAFT-YOUNG
Trae Young’s numbers in his lone season of college were ridiculous. He led the nation in scoring and assists. He had NBA stars tweeting about his every move. But where he’s going to end up in the draft on Thursday night remains a bit of a mystery, for reasons that Young doesn’t fully understand. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 700 words, photos on June 19
BKN–NBA DRAFT-PORTER
Someone is going to gamble on Michael Porter Jr., and he insists it’ll pay off. There is an element of danger involved with every NBA draft pick, in that nothing is guaranteed. There isn’t a player that epitomizes the risk versus reward thinking in this draft more than Porter Jr., who some think Jameer Nelson Jersey