Preview: Royals at Yankees
Gracenote
Jul 29, 2018
The New York Yankees rallied to avoid being swept in a doubleheader Saturday and go for a series victory with their newest acquisition on the mound when they host the Kansas City Royals one day later in the finale. Veteran left-hander J.A. Happ gets his first start in Yankee pinstripes Sunday after New York scored twice in the eighth inning to edge the Royals 5-4 in the nightcap.
Happ, who will pitch for his sixth team after coming over from Toronto for infielder Brandon Drury and outfielder Billy McKinney on Thursday, has performed well at Yankee Stadium in his career with a 4-1 record and 3.94 ERA in eight starts. Neil Walker had five hits in the doubleheader Saturday and is 10-for-15 with four RBIs during a five-game hitting streak for New York, which is 5-6 in its last 11 contests and trails first-place Boston by 5 1/2 games in the American League East. All-Star catcher Salvador Perez has homered twice and knocked in five runs in the series for Kansas City, extending his hitting streak to six games (10-for-25). Alcides Escobar and Hunter Dozier started at third base for the Royals on Saturday in place of their home run leader Mike Moustakas, who was traded to Milwaukee after Friday’s contest for outfielder Brett Phillips and pitcher Jorge Lopez.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Burch Smith (1-1, 5.58 ERA) vs. Yankees LH J.A. Happ (10-6, 4.18)
Smith makes his fourth consecutive start - after 24 relief appearances - and is coming off the best of the bunch when he beat Detroit while giving up two runs on one hit over 6 1/3 innings Tuesday. The 28-year-old Texan allowed six runs on 10 hits across 5 1/3 innings in his first two starts and owns a 4.60 ERA in four July appearances. Smith yielded one run on five hits over three innings of relief May 19 against the Yankees.
Happ hopes to snap a four-game winless stretch in his Yankees' debut, but he has only given up one earned run combined in his last two outings. The 35-year-old Northwestern product limited Baltimore to one run on four hits and zero walks with nine strikeouts across five innings in a no-decision last Sunday. Alex Gordon is 5-for-14 with a homer versus Happ, who is 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA in seven career starts against the Royals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kansas City INF Adalberto Mondesi is 13-for-28 with a pair of homers and five RBIs during his current eight-game hitting streak.
2. New York OF Giancarlo Stanton homered in the first game Saturday and boasts eight RBIs in his last eight contests.
3. Royals CF Brian Goodwin is 8-for-17 with a homer and four RBIs in five games since being acquired from Washington.
PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Royals 2
Gracenote
Jul 29, 2018
The New York Yankees rallied to avoid being swept in a doubleheader Saturday and go for a series victory with their newest acquisition on the mound when they host the Kansas City Royals one day later in the finale. Veteran left-hander J.A. Happ gets his first start in Yankee pinstripes Sunday after New York scored twice in the eighth inning to edge the Royals 5-4 in the nightcap.
Happ, who will pitch for his sixth team after coming over from Toronto for infielder Brandon Drury and outfielder Billy McKinney on Thursday, has performed well at Yankee Stadium in his career with a 4-1 record and 3.94 ERA in eight starts. Neil Walker had five hits in the doubleheader Saturday and is 10-for-15 with four RBIs during a five-game hitting streak for New York, which is 5-6 in its last 11 contests and trails first-place Boston by 5 1/2 games in the American League East. All-Star catcher Salvador Perez has homered twice and knocked in five runs in the series for Kansas City, extending his hitting streak to six games (10-for-25). Alcides Escobar and Hunter Dozier started at third base for the Royals on Saturday in place of their home run leader Mike Moustakas, who was traded to Milwaukee after Friday’s contest for outfielder Brett Phillips and pitcher Jorge Lopez.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Burch Smith (1-1, 5.58 ERA) vs. Yankees LH J.A. Happ (10-6, 4.18)
Smith makes his fourth consecutive start - after 24 relief appearances - and is coming off the best of the bunch when he beat Detroit while giving up two runs on one hit over 6 1/3 innings Tuesday. The 28-year-old Texan allowed six runs on 10 hits across 5 1/3 innings in his first two starts and owns a 4.60 ERA in four July appearances. Smith yielded one run on five hits over three innings of relief May 19 against the Yankees.
Happ hopes to snap a four-game winless stretch in his Yankees' debut, but he has only given up one earned run combined in his last two outings. The 35-year-old Northwestern product limited Baltimore to one run on four hits and zero walks with nine strikeouts across five innings in a no-decision last Sunday. Alex Gordon is 5-for-14 with a homer versus Happ, who is 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA in seven career starts against the Royals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kansas City INF Adalberto Mondesi is 13-for-28 with a pair of homers and five RBIs during his current eight-game hitting streak.
2. New York OF Giancarlo Stanton homered in the first game Saturday and boasts eight RBIs in his last eight contests.
3. Royals CF Brian Goodwin is 8-for-17 with a homer and four RBIs in five games since being acquired from Washington.
PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Royals 2