Luis Severino shines as the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 8-3

The Yankees beat the Blue Jays today by a score of 8-3, as Luis Severino made his second start of the season and looked in total command. In five innings during today’s matinee, Severino gave up three hits and struck out nine. On top of being a strikeout machine, he raised his pitch count from 67 in his first start to 80 today.

Severino was able to pitch with a comfortable lead thanks to two home runs in the first inning from Aaron Judge and Brett Gardner. Judge was batting second and hit a solo shot for his 26th home run of the year making it 1-0. Not to be outdone, Gardner, batting fifth, hit his 27th homer, driving in three runs as Giancarlo Stanton and Luke Voit had both walked before him. Severino was able to trot out to the mound in the top of the second with a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, after a lead-off infield single and a foul out, DJ LeMahieu hit his 26th home run of the year increasing the Yankees lead to 6-0.

At this point, Severino was able to cruise, striking out six more batters before he was taken out in the fifth inning. Severino’s was money today, pitching himself into 16 0-2 counts en route to his nine strikeouts. His fastball and slider acted as his put-away pitches today; he struck out five with the fastball, which topped out at 98, and struck out three with the slider, two of which were looking.

Stephen Tarpley, Tyler Lyons, and Nestor Cortes Jr. pitched in relief to give the big bullpen arms a rest. Tarpley pitched an inning, giving up no runs on three hits and three strikeouts. Lyons came in for the seventh inning for his 11th appearance of the season and let up two earned runs on a double and a home run to make the score 8-2. Cortes Jr. didn’t have his best day either, letting up one run on a solo home run in the ninth, but he eventually closed out the game with the score 8-3.

This was win number 102 on the season as the Yankees look to finish up the year strong. This was their final regular season series at Yankee Stadium, as their final five games will be played on the road. They’ll play two at Tampa Bay and three at Texas as they close out the year against the Rangers.

The Yankees are off tomorrow, and will kick off their quick set against the Rays on Tuesday at 7:05 EST. They haven’t officially announced who their starting pitcher will be yet, but it appears as though they will be using an opener in both games in Flordida. The Rays will sound out youngster Brendan McKay who hasn’t had the best rookie year pitching to a 5.40 earned run average in 46.2 IP.