Yankees Crush Five Homers in 6-3 Win, Aroldis Chapman Debuts

The bats certainly were alive tonight in the Bronx as the Yankees opened up a four-game series with the reigning World Series Champs with a 6-3 victory.

Backed by five solo home runs – two from Carlos Beltran and one each from Brett ‘the hitman’ Gardner, Aaron Hicks and Brian McCann the Yankees breezed by a mediocre Kansas City Royals lineup to open up a four-game set in the Bronx.

Lost in tonight’s aerial assault was a pretty decent ball game from Ivan Nova, who was spot-starting in place of the injured CC Sabathia.

Nova tossed 4.2 innings while scattering six hits and coughing up just one earned run. Though he didn’t pitch deep into the ballgame, the Yankees used Phil Coke, Kirby Yates and Chasen Shreve to pave the way to the ninth inning where Aroldis Chapman made his long anticipated debut, and boy was it electrifying.

‘The Cuban Missile’ Chapman consistently sat at 100mph, and he completely blew the ball passed the first two Kansas City Royals hitters he faced – getting both to strikeout on flame throwing fastballs. However, he coughed up a two-out double to Paulo Orlando followed up by a two-out RBI single to Alcides Escobar before getting Lorenzo Cain to line out to center to close out the ball game.

Sure he gave up an earned run in his Yankee debut, but given the circumstances (Chapman having not pitched a major league inning since 2015 due to his domestic violence suspension), you have to be happy with his pinstripe debut.

Perhaps tomorrow the Yankees will deploy their power bullpen trio of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman – which will likely only happen if their offense stays hot and they manage to carry another lead deep into the ballgame.

Next: Prospect Profile #11: 'The Strikeout Factory

It’ll be Tanaka Tuesday in the Bronx tonight as Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 2.29 ERA) will take the hill against Kris Medlen (1-3, 6.85 ERA).

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