NEW YORK -- Luis Severino is pitching like an ace for the New York Yankees, a year after his severe sophomore slump.
Severino dominated reeling Cincinnati for seven innings,Didi Gregorius and Todd Frazier homered and the Yankees beat the Reds 9-5 on Wednesday for a two-game sweep.
New York has won consecutive series after going 0-8-2 in series after sweeping Baltimore from June 9-11. The Yankees, one game behind AL East-leading Boston, have stabilized by winning eight of 12 following a 7-19 slide.
"Every good team needs that guy that goes out there every fifth day and gives us a chance to win, and he's been that guy for us," CC Sabathia said.
Severino (7-4) did not allow a runner past second base until the seventh, when he allowed a pair of unearned runs after Gregorius misplayed Scott Schebler's leadoff grounder to shortstop. Severino struck out nine -- eight swinging -- many on a devastating slider. He threw 48 fastballs, 43 sliders and 21 changeups. And he made a nifty barehand grab to throw out Jose Peraza on a chopper for the final out in the seventh.
"I thought he threw an outstanding game, and I thought he had command of everything today," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Maybe some of the best stuff he's had all year long."
Severino was 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA in the final two months of the 2015 season but was demoted to the minors for long stretches last year and even sent to the bullpen, finishing 3-8 with a 5.83 ERA with the Yankees. Mixing his pitches and showing better control, he has allowed one earned run in 21 innings since the All-Star break.
"If there's a guy that I haven't seen before that looks like an ace, it's that kid," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I mean it's a quick arm, three pitches for strikes, he'll throw them all in any count, and he throws `em with command. That's a difference maker. That's certainly a guy you can build a rotation around."
Gregorius hit his fourth homer in three games for the Yankees, who have won five of six heading into a series against AL rival Tampa Bay. Acquired last week from the Chicago White Sox, Todd Frazier hit a solo homer against Tony Cingrani that capped a five-run seventh , opening a 9-2 lead.
"In the pinstripes, hitting a home run on your home turf, basically -- you live an hour away. It's pretty memorable," said Frazier, who is from Toms River, New Jersey. "I know I'll be getting a lot of texts from all my Yankee fan friends. It was cool. My parents are happy. Everybody's happy."
Cincinnati has lost three straight and is 2-11 since the All-Star break. Homer Bailey (2-5) lost his third start in a row, giving up seven runs -- five earned -- and 10 hits in six-plus innings.
Rookie Clint Frazier, taking advantage of playing time while Aaron Hicks recovers from an oblique strain, hit RBI singles in the third and fifth innings, and Chase Headley hit an RBI single in the sixth and scored on Ronald Torreyes' groundout. Throwing errors by shortstop Jose Peraza and first baseman Joey Votto made the runs unearned.
Eugenio Suarez stopped Severino's scoreless streak at 17 innings with an RBI double in the seventh and scored on Tucker Barnhart's groundout. Adam Duvall added a three-run homer in the eighth against Luis Cessa.
FUN WITH EMOJIS
Gregorius usually tweets different emojis after a win to honor that day's impact players and used a boxing glove to represent Todd Frazier and carrot and the word "top" to honor Clint Frazier -- an homage to the rookie's fiery mop of hair.
"I've been using it for a while," Gregorius chuckled. "It's not the first time."
LOOK OUT!
A fan sitting beyond the first-base dugout was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Aaron Judge on Tuesday. New York said Wednesday the man was given first aid at the ballpark and received medical attention elsewhere following the game. The ball was clocked at 105 mph as it left Judge's bat, and the fan had a bloody bandage around his head as he left his seat.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: Zack Cozart (sore quadriceps) did not play. The All-Star shortstop reached first base as a pinch hitter on Tuesday night and hobbled into third on a Billy Hamilton RBI double. Price said he does not expect the injury to be a long-term setback. ... Minor league INF Dilson Herrera is scheduled for season-ending arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday to remove bone chips from his right shoulder. He is expected to be ready for spring training.
Yankees: Judge, 7 for 41 since the All-Star break, was given the day off. "He's a little physically beat up but nothing serious," Girardi said. "We just felt with a quick turnaround a day off would be good." Judge crashed into the outfield wall attempting to field Hamilton's double on Tuesday. He is expected to be in Thursday's lineup.
UP NEXT
Reds: Cincinnati begins a four-game series at the Marlins on Thursday night with a rematch of rookie starters. RHP Robert Stephenson (0-3, 8.10 ERA) faces Miami for the second time in less than a week. Recalled from Triple-A on Saturday to make his first start of the season, the former first-round pick lost to the Marlins after allowing five runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Yankees: LHP CC Sabathia (9-3, 3.44 ERA) starts the series opener against the Rays, who go with RHP Chris Archer (7-6, 3.77 ERA).
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball



Final
Series: Game 2 of 2

Reds 5

(41-60, 16-32 away)

Yankees 9

(53-46, 28-17 home)




1:05PM,EDT,July 26,2017
Yankee Stadium, New York,New York 

123456789 R H E
CIN 000000230 5 4 2
NYY 00101250 - 9 12 1
W: L. Severino (7-4)
L: H. Bailey (2-5)





View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-PitchInning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Cincinnati - Top of 1stSCORE
Luis Severino pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Hamilton struck out swinging.00
Gennett fouled out to third.00
Votto singled to center.00
Duvall struck out swinging.00
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Bottom of 1stSCORE
Homer Bailey pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
Gardner grounded out to first.00
C. Frazier flied out to center.00
Sánchez flied out to right.00
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 2ndSCORE
Luis Severino pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Schebler struck out swinging.00
Suárez grounded out to third.00
Mesoraco flied out to right.00
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Bottom of 2ndSCORE
Homer Bailey pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
Holliday grounded out to second.00
Gregorius popped out to second.00
Headley grounded out to shortstop.00
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 3rdSCORE
Luis Severino pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Barnhart struck out swinging.00
Peraza grounded out to pitcher.00
Hamilton struck out swinging.00
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Bottom of 3rdSCORE
Homer Bailey pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
T. Frazier reached on infield single to third.00
Ellsbury grounded into double play, third to second to first, T. Frazier out at second.00
Torreyes singled to center.00
Gardner reached on infield single to second, Torreyes to second.00
C. Frazier singled to shallow right, Torreyes scored, Gardner to third.01
Sánchez lined out to center.01
1 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 4thSCORE
Luis Severino pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Gennett struck out swinging.01
Votto singled to left.01
Duvall flied out to center.01
Schebler struck out swinging.01
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Bottom of 4thSCORE
Homer Bailey pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
Holliday grounded out to second.01
Gregorius lined out to center.01
Headley grounded out to pitcher.01
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 5thSCORE
Luis Severino pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Suárez walked.01
Mesoraco grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Suárez out at second.01
Barnhart struck out looking.01
Peraza grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Mesoraco out at second.01
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Bottom of 5thSCORE
Homer Bailey pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
T. Frazier grounded out to third.01
Ellsbury flied out to left.01
Torreyes singled to deep left.01
Gardner singled to left, Torreyes to second.01
C. Frazier singled to left, Torreyes scored, Gardner to second.02
Sánchez grounded into fielder's choice to third, C. Frazier out at second.02
1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 6thSCORE
Luis Severino pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Hamilton lined out to shortstop.02
Gennett grounded out to first.02
Votto walked.02
Duvall grounded into fielder's choice to third, Votto out at second.02
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Bottom of 6thSCORE
Homer Bailey pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
Holliday grounded out to third.02
Gregorius safe at second on throwing error by shortstop Peraza.02
Headley singled to right center, Gregorius scored.03
T. Frazier hit by pitch, Headley to second.03
Ellsbury grounded into fielder's choice to first, Headley to third, T. Frazier safe at second on throwing error by first baseman Votto.03
Torreyes grounded out to shortstop, Headley scored, T. Frazier to third, Ellsbury to second.04
Gardner popped out to shortstop.04
2 Runs, 1 Hits, 2 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 7thSCORE
Luis Severino pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Schebler safe at first on error by shortstop Gregorius.04
Suárez doubled to left, Schebler scored.14
Suárez to third on wild pitch by Severino.14
Mesoraco struck out swinging.14
Barnhart grounded out to first, Suárez scored.24
Peraza grounded out to pitcher.24
2 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors
New York - Bottom of 7thSCORE
Homer Bailey pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
C. Frazier walked.24
Sánchez doubled to left, C. Frazier scored, Sánchez to third advancing on throw.25
Holliday singled to left, Sánchez scored.26
Cingrani relieved Bailey.26
Gregorius homered to right (332 feet), Holliday scored.28
Headley lined out to center.28
T. Frazier homered to left (388 feet).29
Ellsbury struck out swinging.29
Wojciechowski relieved Cingrani.29
Torreyes struck out swinging.29
5 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 8thSCORE
Luis Cessa pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Cessa relieved Severino.29
Hamilton grounded out to second.29
Gennett struck out swinging, Gennett safe at first on wild pitch by Cessa.29
Votto walked, Gennett to second.29
Duvall homered to right (328 feet), Gennett and Votto scored.59
Schebler grounded out to shortstop.59
Suárez struck out swinging.59
3 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Bottom of 8thSCORE
Asher Wojciechowski pitching for CincinnatiCINNYY
Gardner walked.59
C. Frazier struck out swinging.59
Gardner stole second.59
Sánchez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Gardner out at third.59
Iglesias relieved Wojciechowski.59
Holliday struck out swinging.59
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cincinnati - Top of 9thSCORE
David Robertson pitching for New YorkCINNYY
Robertson relieved Cessa.59
Mesoraco struck out swinging.59
Barnhart flied out to left.59
Peraza grounded out to shortstop.59
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors




Cincinnati Reds
HittersABRHRBIBBSO#PAVGOBPSLG
Hamilton CF40000211.256.302.337
Gennett 2B41000216.306.354.587
Votto 1B21202027.299.420.577
Duvall LF41130115.269.319.524
Schebler RF41000214.234.313.480
Suárez 3B31111120.257.356.458
Mesoraco DH40000214.219.322.414
Barnhart C40010216.258.318.382
Peraza SS40000011.246.272.319
Totals33545312144   
BATTING
2B: Suárez (17, Severino)
HR: Duvall (21, 8th inning off Cessa 2 on, 1 Out)
RBI: Suárez (51), Barnhart (16), Duvall 3 (68)
Reds RISP: 1-3 (Barnhart 0-1, Duvall 1-1, Mesoraco 0-1)
Team LOB: 4
FIELDING
E: Peraza (7, throw); Votto (2, throw)
DP: 1 (Suárez-Gennett-Votto).

Game Information

StadiumYankee Stadium, New York, NY
Attendance42,421 (85.5% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time2:52
Weather75 degrees, sunny
Wind10 mph
UmpiresHome Plate - Mark Wegner, First Base - Marty Foster, Second Base - Mike Winters, Third Base - Ryan Blakney