TORONTO --
\n\nJames Paxton is 8-0, 2.57 ERA (14 ER / 49 IP) in his last eight starts.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 14, 2019
Since the end of World War II, the only Yankees pitchers to win nine consecutive starts were:
Whitey Ford (11 in 1961)
Ron Guidry (11 in '79; 10 in '78) Mike Mussina (9 in '03).
With the win, the Yankees’ magic number to clinch the American League East was cut to four, and it stayed that way after the Rays defeated the Angels in Anaheim. \n \nPaxton's latest effort didn’t start out easy, as he labored through a 31-pitch first inning. He issued a nine-pitch walk to Bo Bichette and a double to Lourdes Gurriel Jr., but managed to strand them both.\n\nAfter Gurriel Jr.’s double, Paxton retired 11 of the next 12 batters over three-plus innings. The fifth inning brought some trouble, but he dialed up a 95.8-mph fastball -- his hardest pitch of the day -- to fan Gurriel Jr. and strand another pair of runners.\n\n“Didn’t have a lot in the tank today,” said Paxton, who needed 101 pitches to get through his five frames. “Didn’t have the sharpest stuff, but was able to make pitches when I needed to, to get out of innings.”
When he wasn’t making pitches, Paxton could sit back and watch Yankees hitters put on a show. New York collected 19 hits as a team, including two home runs and a double from Gardner.\n\nPower has never been the primary tool of Gardner’s game. In a 12-year career, he has only surpassed the 20-homer mark twice. Meanwhile, he has stolen 20 or more bases seven times.\n\nBut at the ripe age of 36, Gardner is posting career-best numbers in home runs (25), slugging percentage (.500) and OPS (.823). He feels that his age has been a helpful factor, as opposed to something he’s overcoming.
“I feel like the older I get, the smarter I get,” Gardner said. “I take better care of myself.”\n\nHis 129 games played ranks third on the team, behind