Chapman Returns, Yanks Slug Five HRs In 6-3 Victory

      There was definitely a buzz around Yankee Stadium tonight and it was not just because the Yankees were beginning their three-game series against the defending World Series Champion Kansas City Royals. It was because everyone was hoping for their chance at seeing Aroldis Chapman, activated today from his 30-game suspension. The other story line of note was that Ivan Nova was making his first start of the year due to C.C. Sabathia being placed on the DL late last week. The tall order, literally, for the Yankees came in the form of Kansas City's 6'11" Chris Young. The big right-hander was sporting a 5.67 ERA at the start of the game, which would definitely be going up at night's end. With one starting pitcher coming out of the bullpen to make a spot start and the other not doing such a great job of pitching when his number was called, there would be plenty of offensive action in this one.
      The balls were flying all over the ballpark tonight, beginning in the bottom of the first when Brian McCann launched a solo homerun, just barely clearing the right-field wall, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. But, Kansas City would quickly respond as Alex Gordon took Nova deep to center, tying the game at one. Then, in the bottom of the second, Carlos Beltran took Young deep to right, puting the Yankees back on top, 2-1. The Bombers did not stop there. In the bottom of the third, Young served up back-to-back homeruns to Brett Gardner and Aaron Hicks, pushing the Yankee lead to three. After getting the next two batters out, Carlos Beltran struck again, Launching his second  solo blast of the game and forcing Chris Young to the showers. It was Young's worst outing of the season, as he allowed five homeruns, over a quarter of the total number of homeruns(16) he gave up all of last season.
      Neither starting pitcher would make it out of the fifth inning. With a pitch count of just 75, Ivan nova pitched well in his first start of the season but would ultimately not factor in the decision. He was pulled after recording two outs in the fifth, leaving runners on the corners, for an old familiar Yankee face, Phil Coke, who hasn't pitched for the Yankees cents game five of the 2009 World Series. Coke would put away Eric Hosmer, thusly crediting him as the winning pitcher of record as he recorded the last out of the fifth inning. Dillon Gee, The relief pitcher who was tasked with cleaning up the mess left by Chris Young, pitched very well until the bottom of the seventh inning. Gee allowed back-to-back singles to Chase Headley and Ronald Torreyes to lead off the frame. After Brett Gardner moved both runners up a base on the ground out, Aaron Hicks drove in the Yankees sixth run of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field. The Royals, however would get one back in the top of the eighth when Eric Hosmer launched the seventh homerun of the game, a solo job off of newly inserted Yankee left-hander Chasen Shreve, 6-2 Yanks.
     Everyone in the ballpark got exactly what they came to see, as even though it was not a save situation, the Yankees deployed their new toy, flame throwing Aroldis Chapman to finish off the Royals in the ninth. The Cuban Missile was a little shaky in his first outing of 2016, striking out the first two batters he faced and then allowing consecutive hits to Pablo Orlando and Alcedes Escobar, with the second hit driving in Orlando, 6-3. He would go on to record the final out of the game, topping out at 101 mph. Another big thing to take away from tonight's game is that Aaron Hicks is starting to really heat up at the plate, driving in two more runs tonight. If the Yankees are going to turn the season around, they are going to need the young outfielder to start making a difference with his bat.
      In game two tomorrow, Mossa hero Tanaka will try to keep the Yankee momentum going. The game begins at 7:05 PM ET.