Gray holds Mets in check, Sanchez stays hot as Yankees win 5-4

After a series opening win against the Mets Monday night in the Bronx, the Yankees were back in action Tuesday night. Sonny Gray (6-7, 3.39 ERA) got the start and pitched into the seventh inning. After allowing only two runs, Gray and the Bombers offense were able to get a 5-2 victory over the Mets, Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

AP Photo/ Frank Franklin II

The Mets and Yankees traded scoreless frames until the bottom of the third inning. Ronald Torreyes led off the bottom of the inning with a double on a ground ball to left field, and Brett Gardner hit a sacrifice bunt to first base which put Torreyes on third with just one out. The red-hot Aaron Hicks continued to shine as he hit a line drive single to right field putting the Bombers up 1-0 after three.

Mets pitcher Jacob DeGrom (13-5, 3.21 ERA) has enjoyed a stellar season thus far, but he ran into trouble during the fourth inning. After a Chase Headley walk, Jacoby Ellsbury hit his sixth home run on the season on a line drive to right field putting the Yankees up 3-0 after four innings.

AP Photo/ Frank Franklin II

Gray continued to shine for the Bombers, through six innings he had shut out the Mets offense and limited them to just four hits. During the bottom of the sixth inning Gary Sanchez kept his modest seven game hitting streak alive as he hit a solo homerun to left center field. During his hitting streak, Sanchez is hitting .440 with four homers and six runs batted in.

Sitting at 94 pitches after six innings, Gray went out for the seventh inning, with a decent lead in place. However, after a leadoff walk to Wilmer Flores, Dominic Smith hit his first homerun on the season to center field. Suddenly, the Yankee lead was cut in half as they led 4-2. With no outs in the inning, the Bombers turned to Tommy Kahnle (1-3, 2.35 ERA) to maintain the lead. Kahnle retired the next three batters in order, to get the Yankees out of trouble, and through seven they led 4-2.

AP Photo/ Frank Franklin II

Dellin Betances pitched a clean eighth inning for the Bombers, and they advanced to the bottom of the eighth inning looking to add some insurance runs. A leadoff double for Aaron Judge, followed by a Didi Gregorius single on a pop up to third base put runners on first and third with zero outs. Sanchez stayed hot as he hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field, which knocked out DeGrom and gave the Yankees a 5-2 lead. Aroldis Chapman came in during the bottom of the ninth inning and continued to struggle. Jose Reyes singled on a ground ball to first base, and Amed Rosario hit a two run bomb to center field making it 5-4. Fortunately for the Bombers, Chapman was able to get out of the inning and secure the victory, but Yankee fans everywhere have to be concerned.

Tomorrow night the Bombers look to clinch the series and gain ground in the division as they take on the Mets at the stadium 7:10 PM ET. Jaime Garcia (5-8, 4.50 ERA) gets the start for the Yankees as he tries to get his first win since July 28th against Oakland. For the Mets, Robert Gsellman (5-5, 6.16 ERA) takes the hill and he has struggled as of late, he will look to give the cross-town rivals innings, and a much needed win.

Winning pitcher: Sonny Gray (7-7, 3.37 ERA) 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Losing pitcher: Jacob DeGrom (13-6, 3.30 ERA) 7.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
Save: Chapman (16)

Notables:

Aaron Hicks: 1-4, RBI (41)

Aaron Judge: 1-3, BB

Gary Sanchez: 2-3, R, RBI (58), HR (21)

Jacoby Ellsbury: 1-4, R, 2 RBI (27), HR (6)

Article by: Randy Hancock

Follow @Randy06
Follow @Bronxbomberball