The first series of the season belongs to the Yanks! #Yankees top the Astros, 8-5! #StartSpreadingTheNews pic.twitter.com/ZU5klBydmS
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 7, 2016
The New York Yankees certainly lived up to their nickname “Bronx Bombers” during their victory against the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon.
- Houston Astros: 5 (1-2)
- New York Yankees: 8 (2-1)
- American League, FINAL, Box Score
- Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
By Christian Kouroupakis
The New York Yankees have won their first series of 2016, and it came against the team that handed them an early exit in 2015.
After a cold Opening Day loss caused by a flawed rule, they bounced back and trounced the Houston Astros 16-6 thanks to three home runs.
Today, they defeated Houston 8-5, thanks to three home runs.
Nathan Eovaldi took the hill for New York, but unfortunately dug his team into an early 3-0 hole after giving up a two-run home run to Tyler White, then a solo jack to Preston Tucker in the top of the second.
Eovaldi would surrender five runs on six hits (two homers) and strike out seven in five innings of work. Despite the tricky situation he left his team in, he was bailed out thanks to an offensive explosion and a shut-down bullpen.
In the bottom of the second, with the Bombers trailing 3-0, Chase Headley hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Mark Teixeira to put the Yankees on the board.
The next inning, Jacoby Ellsbury ripped an RBI double to right center field to score Didi Gregorius and make it a one-run game.
.@JacobyEllsbury coming in hot! An RBI double scores @DidiG18 and we've got a one-run game to start the 4th! #PinstripePride
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 7, 2016
After the Astros padded their lead and made it 5-2, Brian McCann lined a home run inside the foul pole to make the score 5-3.
Brian McCann is LOCKED IN right now. 5-3 Astros. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/tiJC8RKYtT
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) April 7, 2016
Two batters later, the red-hot Starlin Castro continued his stellar play with a solo jack to pull the Yankees within one again.
Castro has a .583 batting average with two home runs and eight RBI through his first three games in the Big Apple.
This guy just can't stop…won't stop. Starlin my Darlin' does it again. 5-4 Astros after four. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/d916AdupVE
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) April 7, 2016
The next inning, the offense would keep pushing across runs. This time, it was Alex Rodriguez’s turn.
In the bottom of the sixth with Ellsbury on, A-Rod smacked a line drive to center field to score the Yankees’ lead-off man and knot the ballgame up at five apiece.
.@AROD's first hit of the year drives in @JacobyEllsbury and we're all tied up! #PinstripePride
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 7, 2016
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Yankees were threatening to take the lead with two runners on and Teixeira at the dish.
On a 1-0 count with Ken Giles on the mound, Teixeira sent a “Tex-Message” just over the wall to left field for a go-ahead three-run home run to give the Yankees an 8-5 lead.
SEE. YOU. LATER. A three-run dinger for @teixeiramark25 gives the #Yankees an 8-5 lead in the 7th! #PinstripePride
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 7, 2016
After Eovaldi’s struggles, the “super-pen” lived up to the expectations by tossing four shutout innings of three-hit ball while striking out seven.
Chasen Shreve got the victory, Will Harris got the loss, Dellin Betances got the hold, and Andrew Miller, who’s playing through a fractured right hand, got his first save of 2016.
There were five Yankee hitters with multi-hit games today, and they have scored 27 runs in the first three games. They were only 2-for 8 with runners in scoring position, but when you smash three home runs in a contest, it really doesn’t matter.
Castro has been more than impressive thus far. The 26-year old has done a phenomenal job in his new comfortable situation in the tough environment of New York.
Going from the guy in Chicago, to being a young learner in pinstriped who’s surrounded by guys like A-Rod and Carlos Beltran. Without a doubt, it has had a major impact on his hot start.
Eovaldi struggled with his breaking stuff today and was hit hard as a result. He didn’t walk a single batter, but left too many good pitches over the plate and the Astros made him pay.
The Yankees will look to continue their offensive surge this weekend as they travel to Detroit to face the Tigers. The series starts tomorrow with young phenom, Luis Severino will take the hill in his first outing of his sophomore season.
Game time is at 1:05 PM ET, with frigid temperatures expected all weekend. You can catch full coverage on the YES Network starting at 12:30.
