Yankees Suffer No-Hitter at Hands of Astros

 

ASTROS 3 - YANKEES 0

It was the game that nobody saw coming. But that is how these happen, no hitters come out of nowhere all the time. On Saturday Christian Javier, a 25-year old righty from the Dominican Republic, who came into the game with a 4.91 ERA for the month of June, pitched the game of his life against the New York Yankees.

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He held the Yankees without a hit for seven innings, walking only one and striking out 13 batters. Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly followed suit, blanking the Yanks over the next two innings to secure a no-hitter against the best team in baseball.

It was the first time in 19-years that the Yankees had been no-hit. The last time came in 2003 against this same Houston Astros franchise. Back then, the Astros were still a National League team. Before that no-hitter in 2003, the last time the Yankees were no-hit was back in 1958.  The no-hitter on Saturday was also the 14th in Astros history.

The 15 combined strikeouts by Houston's staff on Saturday tied for the third most in a no-hitter in baseball history, trailing Nolan Ryan who struck out 16 in 1991, the 2021 Brewers who combined for 16 Ks in a no-no; and 17 K's, a feat both Ryan and Max Scherzer reached in their respective careers.

The only runs to come across on Saturday were solo home runs by J.J. Matijevic and Jose Altuve, and a RBI single by Yuli Gurriel.

If Yankees fans want to take any solace in losing a no-hitter to Houston, the last time it happened in 2003, the Yankees would eventually get to the World Series, where they lost to the Florida Marlins.

Sports Talk Nation: Interview with Rutgers Women's Head Coach Coquese Washington

 At my job as news and sports director at Fox Sports New Jersey I had the opportunity to sit down and interview Rutgers new women's basketball head coach Coquese Washington. It was an incredible interview as we talked about her career, her passion for basketball and Rutgers. 

 Listen here! 

 

Judge and Yankees Avoid Arbitration

 

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees agreed Friday afternoon to a contract for the rest of this season that will play the soon-to-be-free agent $19 million for the rest of this season.

Judge will still test the free agent waters after the World Series when he is expected to get a huge contract from someone.

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Judge could make an additional $250,000 if he wins the AL MVP, and an additional $250,000 if he wins the World Series MVP.

Judge is certainly on his way to an MVP award the way things are going. He is hitting .304 with 27 home runs and 53 RBI. He had the game winning RBI last night vs. Houston.

Should he hit the free agent market it will be fascinating to see what kind of contract he will command. Mike Trout has the highest contract at $426,500,000 over 12 years. Mookie Betts is making $365,000,000 over 12 years. One would think that Judge will command a contract in that range. Will the Yankees match? We'll have to wait and see.

Judge and Hicks Power Yanks to Thriller over Stros

 

Is there anything that can slow down the 2022 New York Yankees? Right now the answer is no. Down to their final three outs, and trailing by three runs, 6-3, against one of the best bullpens in baseball, it looked like the Yankees were on their way to lose.

But don’t tell that to these Yankees. Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres drew back-to-back walks setting up Aaron Hicks up with another dramatic moment, and the outfielder responded with a mammoth three-run homer to right, tying the game at six.

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It is the second time this week that Hicks has delivered in a big spot. He provided the game winning triple in Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

That blast by Hicks not only lit a charge into the packed Yankee Stadium crowd, it lit a fire under the Yankees. Back to back singles by Isiah-Kiner Falefa and Jose Trevino would set up Aaron Judge with the game deciding play.

On a 3-1 pitch, Judge slapped a base hit into left field allowing Falefa to score the winning run. Hicks was the first man to greet Judge at first base before the rest of their Yankee teammates joined the party.

 

Mets Injuries Stacking Up as June Comes to Close

 Even though they have had the best record in the National League for most of the season, there are cracks that are coming up in the foundation of the New York Mets. Namely the number of injures to the Amazin's pitching staff. It is a huge concern moving forward. Check out today's vlog! 

Matt Carpenter Goes Off as Yankees Thump Cubs

 Yankees 18 – Cubs 4

It’s getting to a point where not only the Yankees are winning games, they are outright dominating their opponents. It’s not even a contest at times, and it certainly wasn’t this weekend as the Yankees thoroughly whooped the Chicago Cubs in a weekend sweep.

On Sunday the Yankees put an exclamation point on the series with a 18-4 victory over the hapless Cubbies.

Matt Carpenter, whom the Yankees signed after he was DFA’d by the Texas Rangers a few weeks ago, has been a revelation. He went 3-for-4 on Sunday with three runs scored and seven RBI, including a three-run homer in the third inning that gave the Yankees an 8-1 lead.

 Carpenter wasn’t done. His two-run blast to right in the sixth made it 12-3 Bombers. Then in the seventh, he added to stellar day with a RBI double, scoring Anthony Rizzo to make it 16-4. It was all Carpenter, all the time for the former St. Louis Cardinal.

 In ten games with the Yankees, Carptenter is hitting at .333 with six homers and 13 RBI. Not only does his handlebar mustache, clean-shaven chin and no batting glove look gives off a 1920’s or 1930’s vibe, his entire play and personna is rubbing off on Yankees fans.

Not only did Carpenter have a big day, but so did Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who had two hits and three RBI on Sunday. Kyle Higashioka had three hits, two of which were for home runs. Joe Gallo drove in a pair on a double in the Yankees’ five run first inning. Of course, Giancarlo Stanton had three RBI-stakes and Aaron Judge had three hits.

In other words everything that could go right for the Yankees, has gone right for the Yankees. They stand at 44-16, the best record — by far and away — in Major League Baseball. They will get a challenge coming soon. They have a lot of games with the Rays and Jays coming up, and of course five games with the Houston Astros (including four at Yankee Stadium) are looming later this month.

I also shared this story with Fox Sports New Jersey. 

Rangers Season Ends in Four Straight Losses to Lightning

LIGHTNING 2 - RANGERS 1 - TB wins Series 4-2 

The Rangers season came to a screeching halt Saturday night, like a strike of lightning (pun intended) in a 2-1 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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A series that will be best remembered for the Rangers blowing a 2-0 series lead and a 2-0 score in Game 3 only to lost that game, en route to four straight losses to the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions.

The Rangers never led in Game 6. Trailing 1-0 for seemingly the entire night as they tried everything they could to get a shot in, and coming up short each time. Finally some seven minutes into the third period, the Rangers put the puck in the net on a shot by Frank Vatrano on a power play, tying the game at one.

For a little while, Rangers fans could feel that they had a chance.

That feeling lasted only 21 seconds when Steven Stamkos scored his second goal of the night to put the Lightning up 2-1. They wouldn’t need another score the rest of the way.

Igor Shesterkin who got better with each and every game of this postseason, finished with a 2.05 GAA in the playoffs. After a rough start against Pittsburgh in the opening round, Shesterkin was brilliant the rest of the way; he gave  his team a chance to win every night it touched the ice.

 So after a great season, the Rangers season is over. It was a season to remember, and one to build off of when they return to the ice in October.

Rangers Storm to 2-0 Series Lead Over Lightning

 The read hot New York Rangers are halfway to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals in eight years. And they are doing by slowly dismantling the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning, winning Game 2 by the score of 3-2. 

It wasn't the dominant performance they displayed in Game 1, but it was just enough as the Rangers head to Tampa Bay with a full head of steam. Not only have the Rangers won four straight games, but Tampa Bay saw it's streak of 18-straight wins following a loss in the playoffs that dates back to 2019 come to a thunderous halt. 

Perhaps the winds of change are taking hold in the NHL. 

The Rangers are playing like a team of destiny right now, and it's hard not to think that they could wind up hoisting the Cup for the first time in 28 years. 

“It's a huge win for us, but we just get ready for the next one," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "They way we played the last two games, that's the way we're going to have to play to win the series. We want to battle hard, we want to compete hard and we've been a tough out so far.”

After falling behind 1-0, two guys who have rarely had their names uttered this postseason netted the first two Ranger goals of the game. K'Andre Miller took a shot near the circle, had it bounce back to him, before he slapped past goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Later in the period Kaapo Kakko found some space in the left circle and sent the puck sailing over the left shoulder of Vasilevskiy into the back of the net. 

The game remained deadlocked at 2-1 until the third period when Mika Zibanejad took a feed from Adam Fox in a 2-on-1 with Vasilevskiy which ended in Zibanejad slapping the puck through for the score to give New York a 3-1 lead. 

It was a much better time for Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin who was incredibly good in goal once again for the Blue Shirts, recording 29 saves on 31 shots for his fourth straight win. 

Are the Rangers a team of destiny? It sure looks like it.

Joe Girardi Let Go by Phillies

 Beleaguered manager Joe Giardi was fired by the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday after a hugely disappointing start to the season down in Philadelphia. Philly is 22-29, 12 games behind the first place New York Mets.

The Mets have owned the Phillies this season, having won seven of the last nine games between the two rivals. That combined with Philadelphia's inability to win with big contract players like Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Zach Wheeler, and J. T. Realmuto hurt Girardi in the end. 

In two-and-a-half seasons as manager of the Phillies, Giardi went 131-141.  Last season the Phils underachieved at 82-80. This season's sluggish start was too much to bear, and with Dave Dombrowski having taken over as President of Baseball Operations just last year, it was almost a certainty he would want his own guy to manage in the dugout.

Bench coach Rob Thompson, who was Giardi's long time lieutenant with the Yankees will take over as Interim Manager in Philadelphia.

A little over two years ago, Giardi was one of the hottest names in the managerial search around Major League Baseball. The Mets were at one point considered a potential suitor for the former Yankees World Series winning manager, but instead opted to hire Carlos Beltran at that time. Beltran was quickly fired when his involvement in the Houston Astros cheating scandal came to light, and was replaced by Luis Rojas.

Rojas managed the Mets through the 60-game COVID season of 2020, and managed the team last season before he was let go and owner Steve Cohen, who brought in Buck Schowalter this year.

It's ironic to look back at now, considering many thought the Mets missed an opportunity by not hiring Girardi. Two-plus years later Giardi is out of a job in Philadelphia and the Mets are in first place under the leadership of another former Yankees manager in Schowalter.

Interview with English Darts Player Fallon Sherrock

At Fox Sports Radio New Jersey where I work as news and sports Director, I had a great opportunity to speak with Fallon Sherrock, a professional darts player from the United Kingdom who is playing in the Bet365 Darts Masters this weekend at Madison Square Garden.  Represented by Professional Darts Corporation, this is Fallon's first ever trip to the States. 

Check out the interview below from Fox Sports New Jersey! 

Mets and Yankees Top Two Baseball Teams At End of May

 Who had the Mets and Yankees as the top two teams in Major League Baseball on their 2022 bingo card? 

Nobody that's who. 

As the month of June has begun both teams are legit threats to make some major noise this season. Despite their 2-0 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday, the Mets (35-18) are 10.5 games ahead of Atlanta for first place in the NL East. 

Buck Schowalter's steady leadership has provided balance to a veteran ball club; while the likes of Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso are having MVP-type seasons. 

Meanwhile in the Bronx, Aaron Boone's club has turned around their season. After a sluggish 7-6 start, they are 29-9 since, and find themselves at 36-15 on the year after sweeping away the LA Angels this week. 

Not only has Aaron Judge been phenomenal with the bat, but the Yankees pitching has been fantastic. Nestor Cortes has pitched to a 1.50 ERA this year, and has taken four of his last five starts deep into the ball game. 

Jameson Tallion took a perfect game into the eighth last night, and Jordan Montgomery has turned around his career this year. 

Who is the best? Well check out our vlog!