Vintage Sabathia Heads Yanks Shut Out Over Tigers, 4-0

     The New York Yankees welcomed in the Detroit Tigers to town tonight, facing off in game one of the three-game weekend set. C.C. Sabathia took the ball for New York, sporting a 3-4 record and a phenomenal 2.58 ERA. Mike Pelfrey and his 4.76 ERA were given the task of trying to slow down the Yankee offense. With a .328 opponents batting average against, which is the highest in the AL, Pelfrey allows the other team to really put the ball in play. And tonight, Sabathia put in his best start of the year and the Yankee offense stayed hot as they made it five straight.
     The Yankees put the pressure on Pelfrey from the word go, loading the bases against the right-hander in the bottom of the first. Pelfrey allowed back to back singles to Brett Gardner and Carlos Beltran, walked Alex Rodriguez and then put the Yankees on the scoreboard when he walked Brian McCann with the bases-loaded, 1-0 New York. After getting Castro out on strikes, the right-hander served up a double to Didi Gregorius that scored Rodriguez and Beltran, 3-0. But, the relay throw from Upton gunned McCann down at home plate, ending the frame. Then in the third, after walking Gardner, Detroit catcher James McCann tried to pick off Brett at first but launched the ball into right field, advancing gardener to third. White-hot Carlos Beltran then singled Gardner in, extending the Yankee lead to four.
     Carsten Charles Sabathia was absolutely brilliant tonight, working to the best start of hisseason.  Despite a 12 pitch at-bat to lead off the ballgame by Ian Kinsler, C.C. kept hitters off-balance all night long, and actually touched 93 mph with his fastball. The big lefty departed with a final line of seven tremendous shut out innings, while allowing just five hits and striking out four. In fact, with the seven shut out innings tonight,  his ERA dropped to 2.28, fourth in the American League and the lowest it has ever been through 10 starts in his illustrious career.
     Delin Betances and Anthony Swarzak combined to pitch the final two innings, matching Sabathia's shut out efforts in route to their fifth consecutive victory.  Look for the Bomber bats to stay hot against Justin Verlander and the Tigers tomorrow night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 PM ET.