Tanaka shines, Torres and McCutchen turn as Yanks



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SEATTLE (AP) – Masahiro Tanaka could get into the Wild card game.

The right-winger beat 10 players in eight innings, while Gleyber Torres and Andrew McCutchen both beat two home runs and the New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 4-0 on Friday night.

Tanaka (11-5) allowed three hits and guided no one, but he was not very impressed.

"I felt like I did not have my best stuff," said Tanaka through a translator. "I did not have good control of my slider and had to make adjustments throughout the match. But as the game was one, I felt I could concentrate. It's just the grind.

Tanaka has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his last five starts. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tanaka's fast-paced splitfinger was the pitch that put him back on Friday night.

"The splitfinger from the start was a factor," said Boone. "And we even saw him go back when he needed some velocity on his fastball. He was on full order there tonight. He was great.

Boone has yet to enter the field if New York stops there, in part because ace Luis Severino is out of his match recently. With more results like that, Tanaka could be the guy from Boone in the showdown.

The Yankees maintained their 3-1 / 2 lead over Oakland for AL's first Wild card and stayed 8 1/2 behind Boston, leader of the East Division. Seattle is 6 1/2 games behind the A for the latest wild card AL.

Tanaka is 7-0 against the Mariners in his career.

"It's pretty much all we've had against us for quite some time," said Scott Servais, director of Mariners. "He used all four quadrants of the hitting area with his fastball and he had a very good splitter. We did not have much to do.

Torres and McCutchen conceded two shots against pitcher James Paxton (11-6). Torres hit a second run in the second run, his 23rd of the season. Luke Voit hit a single double on the left.

Torres, 21, is the youngest of the Yankees since Mickey Mantle to get 100 wins in a season.

"I feel really good for that," Torres said. "Hitting in this game is not easy. You must remain humble and stay focused. I'm trying not to overdo it. Now I'm more relaxed on the plate.

McCutchen added a two-point shot in the third for his first circuit as a Yankee. He entered the match with a mere 16 on-bats in his first five games with the Yankees since entering the trade with the Giants.

"I made mistakes in the second and third innings and they made me pay," said Paxton, who pitched six innings and pulled out eight. "Other than that, I felt good. I hung a curve during the third inning and the second run was a cutter that I did not have at the back foot.

DIDI RETURNS

The Yankees activated the Didi Gregorius shortstop from the 10-day injury list before the match and he entered as a defensive substitute in the sixth inning. He climbed to second place in his only bat.

Gregorius was injured in healing on August 19 and missed 16 games. He hits .269 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs.

ROOM OF TRAINERS

Yankees: RF Aaron Judge shot balls on a tee before the match, throwing balls into the field and throwing balls at the start of the event. On July 26, the judge broke his right wrist when he was hit by a throw.

Mariners: Manager Scott Servais said LHP Marco Gonzales will be leaving the DL 10 days and will start Tuesday's game against the San Diego Padres. Gonzales, who was placed on the DL Aug. 27 (cervical strain), threw the ball on Friday. Servais said the Mariners will use a six-man rotation the rest of the season. … 1B Daniel Vogelbach (thigh) was available to hit Friday but is not ready to play in the field.

FOLLOWING

RHP Lance Lynn (8-10, 5.10 ERA) will make his seventh start for the Yankees on Saturday against the Mariners. He has never faced Seattle in his career. Lynn is without a win in her last three starts, scoring 0-2 with a score of 8.59. RHP Felix Hernandez (8-13, 5.55 ERA) will make his 28th start of the season on Saturday. Hernandez has not won a match since June 30th. He has lost four of his last five starts, allowing 19 points in 28 2/3 innings.

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