Mariners Dispatched, Yankees Ready for Early Showdown With Rays

The Seattle Mariners came into this 4-game series at Yankee Stadium in an injury-induced slump, but, until the week before, they were leading the American League Western Division. So this was going to be more of a test for them, but still a decent test for the "Triple-A Yankees."

The Yankees took the 1st 2 games, before Seattle stormed back in the 3rd. So last night's series finale was a test of character, possibly for both teams.

J.A. Happ started for the Pinstripes last night, and was fantastic, taking a no-hitter into the 5th inning. Aaron Boone took him out after that 5th inning, clearly waiting to see how long he could keep the no-hitter going. Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle, and Zack Britton each pitched a perfect inning after that.

Cameron Maybin backed this fine pitching with an RBI double in the 2nd, and with a great catch of a Braden Bishop liner to right field in the 3rd. This was one of those plays that makes you say, "If he's not going to lose the no-hitter on that play, he's not going to lose it." Most no-hitters have at least one play like that. The no-hitter did not last, but the catch was still good to see.

But Mike Leake pitched pretty well for the Mariners, ending that threat at just 1 run, and holding the Yankees off the board otherwise. If that kind of performance had come from the Yankees starter, I'd say he deserved a better fate.

Boone played a hunch, and, in the 7th inning, pulled Miguel Andújar, who's been hitting poorly since returning from injury, and replaced him with exciting rookie Gio Urshela.

For the 8th inning, Mariners manager Scott Servais played a hunch of his own, taking Leake out, and turning to reliever Scott Sadzeck, and the Yankees did make a sad sack out of him -- and Servais, making this a "Joe Girardi's Binder" move.

Sadzeck began the inning with back-to-back singles to DJ LeMahieu and Gary Sanchez. Brett Gardner grounded into a fielder's choice that eliminated Sanchez at 2nd, but put himself at 1st and LeMahieu at 3rd. Gardner stole 2nd. Clint Frazier struck out. With 1st base open, Gleyber Torres was walked to set up the force play at any base. It didn't work: Urshela came through, singling to right, bringing LeMahieu and Gardner home.

As he so often does, Aroldis Chapman made the 9th inning more interesting than was necessary, giving up a home run to Domingo Santana. But that 2nd hit of the game for the Mariners would be the last, as Chapman closed the game out.

Yankees 3, Mariners 1. WP: Happ (2-3). SV: Chapman (8). LP: Leake (2-4).

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And so, tonight, at 7:10 PM, the Yankees begin what looks like their 1st really big series of the year, away to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees go into this series a game and a half behind the Rays in the American League Eastern Division, 2 games back in the all-important loss column.

ESPN is going so far as to call the series-opener a battle of "dueling aces," Domingo German vs Tyler Glasnow. With a 6-0 record, an ERA under 2 and a WHIP under 1, Glasnow is the early favorite for the AL Cy Young Award. But this is easily the biggest game of his career so far.

It is a little too soon to call German the Yankees' current ace, but with CC Sabathia winding his career down, Masahiro Tanaka being shaky, and Luis Severino and James Paxton both being hurt, he has carried the rotation so far.

The Saturday game is a 6:10 start. The Yankees will have CC on the mound, while the rays are still undecided as to their starting pitcher. The Sunday game, starting at 1:10, will have Tanaka against Blake Snell.

Having gotten through the 1st 23 percent of the regular season with all these injuries, and still being within 1 series of 1st place in the AL East, this is a great chance for the Yankees to taken control of the Division, and make a statement for the rest of the season. Come on you Bombers!