Boston (17-13) at NY Yankees (11-17)
When: Sunday, May 8th 2016
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: ESPN
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The New York Yankees have a chance to do what the Boston Red Sox did to them last weekend, and that’s sweep their weekend series. New York came into the weekend with seven losses in eight games, but have taken the first two in this series after yesterday’s 8-2 win over Red Sox ace David Price. The Yanks received great offensive production from the bottom of the order as Didi Gregorius and backup catcher Austin Romine combined for five hits and five RBIs while No. 7 hitter Chase Headley contributed a pair of hits and scored twice. It was a much-needed game for Headley as he entered Saturday’s game batting .151 and in a 5-for-43 slump. New York’s pitching staff has turned in five straight quality starts for the first time since August 12th-16th, 2013. Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is expected to miss his second straight game after suffering a hip injury in Friday night’s game. Boston has seen its streak of four straight series victories snapped and have dropped to second-place in the A.L. East behind Baltimore. Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is 9-for-22 and has hit safely in all five games against the Yankees this season. Another hot hitter is CF Jackie Bradley Jr., who homered Saturday to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games.
Pitchers: Red Sox – Steven Wright (2-3, 1.67 ERA) | Yankees – Luis Severino (0-4, 6.31)
Steven Wright will take the mound for Boston and he’ll be looking for a little more run support. He has five straight quality starts and a 1.67 ERA, but his record is only 2-3. He was a hard-luck loser after giving up two runs on three hits over six innings in a 4-1 defeat to the Chicago White Sox in his last start. Wright posted victories over Atlanta and Houston in his previous two starts and has allowed only three earned runs and 10 hits in 19.2 innings spanning his last three starts. He is 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA in three appearances (two starts) versus New York.
Luis Severino will be looking for his first victory of the season for the Yankees. He too has not received a lot of run support (6 runs in 5 starts), but Severino carries a hefty 6.31 ERA into tonight’s contest. Severino yielded three runs or fewer in 10 of his 11 starts as a rookie last year, but permitted at least four runs for the third time in four outings in a 4-1 loss at Baltimore on Tuesday. He lost his major-league debut versus Boston despite giving up two runs on two hits and striking out seven in five innings.
Severino has not looked good all season and this Boston team can hit. The bottom of the Yankees order won’t carry them two days in a row. I think Wright will pitch well enough to get the victory here tonight. Boston does not want to be swept by their rival.
Pick: Red Sox -105
