Verlander stays in control, pitches Astros past Yankees 5-1
By BEN WALKER
NEW YORK (AP) _ Justin Verlander tamed the Yankees again, slowing down the highest-scoring team in the majors and pitching the Houston Astros past New York 5-1 Monday.
Verlander exited in the seventh inning with a major league-best 1.11 ERA. J.D. Davis hit an early three-run homer and Jose Altuve had a solo drive, helping Houston win for the sixth time in eight games.
Closer Ken Giles, tagged Sunday as the Astros blew a five-run lead in the ninth at Cleveland, pitched the final inning and worked around a leadoff single.
Facing the only club in baseball that hasn’t been shut out this season, Verlander (7-2) blanked the Yankees until Greg Bird hit a leadoff home run in the seventh.
As he left, Verlander took off his cap and waved it toward a solid contingent of Astros fans wearing bright orange behind the dugout.
Verlander has done this before against the Yankees, especially lately. He was the MVP of the AL Championship Series last October, going 2-0 and limiting New York to one run in 16 innings while striking out 21.
Earlier this month, Verlander pitched eight shutout innings against the Yankees and fanned 14. This time, Verlander allowed five hits in 6 2/3 innings, fanning five without a walk.
In 12 starts this year, the big righty has permitted only 10 earned runs.
Yet for all the heat Verlander brought to the plate, the best toss he made might’ve been a throw in the opposite direction. The Astros led 3-0 when the Yankees put runners at first and second with two outs in the second.
With Miguel Andujar at the plate, Verlander pivoted and picked rookie Gleyber Torres off second base to escape.
Davis hit his first homer of the season, connecting in the second off Domingo German (0-3). Altuve, whose team-record run of 10 straight hits ended Sunday, added his fourth in the eighth.
Torres has been swinging a sizzling bat, and manager Aaron Boone moved him up to fifth, his highest spot in the lineup yet. The 21-year-old newcomer had an adventuresome afternoon.
Torres singled off Verlander, but got picked off. He nonchalanted a throw from second base, and the errant toss set up Evan Gattis’ RBI single in the fourth _ Torres flung his glove in the dugout when the inning was over. Torres also made two acrobatic catches ranging into shallow center field.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: OF Derek Fisher, out with what the team says is “gastrointestinal discomfort,” started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Fresno.
Yankees: Slugger Giancarlo Stanton didn’t start, a day after striking out in
all four at-bats against the Angels said it was merely a day off, just “a logical thing.” Stanton led the majors with 59 homers last year with Miami _ he has 11 homers this season. Boone said he wasn’t worried about Stanton, “but there’s always the adjustment thing.”
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Charlie Morton (7-0, 2.04 ERA) struck out 10 in a victory over the Yankees on April 30. He started and beat New York in Game 7 of the ALCS last October, pitching five shutout innings.
Yankees: LHP CC Sabathia (2-1, 3.55) started and took the loss vs. Houston in Game 7 of the ALCS last October, allowing one run in 3 1/3 innings.
Mariners again prevail in 1-run game, beating Rangers 2-1
By TIM BOOTH
SEATTLE (AP) _ Marco Gonzales pitched into the seventh inning and did not allow an earned run for a third consecutive start, helping the Seattle Mariners top the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Monday.
Seattle won for the ninth time in 10 games and reached 13 games above .500 for the first time since late in the 2014 season. And it was once again a one-run win. The Mariners have been held to three runs or less in seven of the past eight games, but are 7-1 in those games thanks largely to their pitching.
Seattle has 16 one-run wins, best in the majors.
Gonzales (5-3) lasted 6 2/3 innings and has not allowed an earned run since May 12 when he gave up four runs in a loss to Detroit. His only issue against Texas was walks. Gonzales walked four, including Ryan Rua with two outs in the seventh inning to conclude his day.
James Pazos got the final out of the seventh, before letting the duo of Alex Colome and Edwin Diaz work together for the first time. Colome, an All-Star closer acquired from Tampa Bay late last week, struck out a pair sandwiched around a two-out hit to finish the eighth inning, and Diaz pitched the ninth for his 19th save.
The only run for Texas came in the third inning when Rougned Odor reached on a bunt single and eventually scored on a passed ball.
Texas starter Doug Fister (1-5) cruised through the first five innings, the only hit allowed a single by Andrew Romine in the third. It was a defensive miscue that created the opportunity for Seattle to take the lead.
With one out in the sixth, Denard Span hit a grounder to second base that should have ended the inning. Odor briefly bobbled the grounder and the Rangers were unable to turn the double play. Mitch Haniger’s base hit barely eluded the diving attempt of shortstop Jurickson Profar, and Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager followed with line-drive RBI singles.
SPAN ARRIVES
Span, who also came over in the trade with the Rays, made his debut after being added to the 25-man roster. The Mariners optioned outfielder John Andreoli to Triple-A Tacoma to clear the roster spot. Span was 0 for 4.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: SS Elvis Andrus and 3B Adrian Beltre (hamstring) took ground balls before the game. It was the first time Andrus had done any field work since suffering a right elbow fracture in early April.
Mariners: SS Jean Segura was originally in the lineup, but was scratched. Segura was inadvertently kicked in the head during Saturday night’s game and missed Sunday’s game. … The Mariners expect Dee Gordon will be able to return to the lineup Thursday barring any setbacks in his recovery from a toe injury.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Austin Bibens-Dirkx (0-1) will make his second start since being called up from Triple-A Round Rock. Bibens-Dirkx allowed four earned runs and eight hits in his debut against Kansas City.
Mariners: Felix Hernandez (5-4) will try to have a better first inning than his last start when he gave up four runs in the first to Oakland. Hernandez has struggled early in games and has re-examined some of his routine in hopes of being better from the start.