N.Y. Yankees: Giancarlo Stanton TKO's Rays in Game One

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

Yankees lead Rays; 1-0

I - NYY 9; TBR 3

Bronx Bombers Pick Up Where They Leave Off

Seven times during the regular season the Rays hit multiple home runs against the Yankees.  They do it again in Game One.  After taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Aaron Hicks' sac-fly, left fielder Randy Arozarena homers off Gerrit Cole tying the score at one.  Clint Frazier gives the Yanks a 2-1 lead with a home run in the third.  One inning later Ji-Man Choi gives the Rays a 3-2 lead with a two run home run to center.  But that's where the Rays power surge stops and that of the Yankees begins.  Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge each hit a solo home run in the fifth.  Aaron Hicks drives home two more runs in the ninth with a single and Giancarlo Stanton caps off the Yankees scoring with a grand slam against reliever Chad Curtiss.  Overall, the lineup cranks out 15 hits in 39 at-bats (.384) and the bullpen tosses three scoreless innings.  Although still prone to the long ball, Gerrit Cole yields three runs on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts through six innings for the win.

In four starts against the Rays Cole has yielded twelve runs on 18 hits and eight walks with 35 strikeouts through 22.1 innings pitched for a 4.88 earned run average. 

The Yankees now have 38 hits through three playoff games.  Eleven have gone for home runs.  Giancarlo Stanton now leads the pack with three and Aaron Judge has two.  However, Stanton and Judge have no other hits, just five home runs.  Just five home runs, imagine that.  Stanton's grand slam is the Yankees second of the playoffs.  Luke Voit has yet to go long in three playoff games, but leads the team with three doubles.

With a game one victory Aaron Boone is afforded an opportunity to start rookie Deivi Garcia who has just six games of MLB experience.  This sets up Masahiro Tanaka to either clinch the series or steer the Yankees clear of a two game skid.  Garcia last started on 9/26 against the Marlins in which he surrenders four runs on seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.  In six starts Garcia has allowed 19 runs (4.98 ERA) on 35 hits and six walks with 33 strikeouts.