With last night’s victory against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, the New York Yankees have now won ten games in a row, which is huge for a team that had dropped 15 out of 20 prior to the current streak. Now, the Bombers’ will officially clinch the postseason with a win today or a Seattle loss.
The most valuable player of last night’s contest was none other than J.A. Happ. The lefty held the Red Sox scoreless for eight innings, with no walks and nine strikeouts. It was an impressive performance for Happ, who is now 2-2 with a 3.25 ERA.
“We felt like it was going to turn,†Happ said to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “We just needed to keep grinding it out. A 60-game season is a little different, but you hope it balances out. We’re starting to see some guys getting their groove, some guys getting healthy, and becoming the team we feel like we are.â€
“It’s always fun beating those guys,†New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We obviously respect who they are and all the great games we’ve had to play against them. We’ll enjoy it while it lasts. This is obviously a very unique year, and that rivalry can kick up at any time.â€
The Yankees are certainly pleased with Happ
For Happ, the key was the effectiveness of his fastball-changeup combo. “I had some life on the fastball, and the changeup has come around for me,†he said. “Lately, it’s been a big pitch. We played good defense, good positioning and were able to get some early outs, which helped me go deeper in the ballgame.â€
The Yankees’ skipper is obviously thrilled with what he saw from his veteran starter. “He’s obviously going to be on the team [in the postseason] and playing a big role,†Boone said. “This season, he showed me a level of mental toughness and professionalism that has been really admirable. He’s been one of the anchors in the rotation.â€
After a rough two-start stretch to begin the season, Happ has demonstrated that there is still plenty of gas left in his left arm.