EditorsNote: changed Yankees' magic number after Rays' loss
Luis Severino pitched four innings in his season debut, and Gleyber Torres highlighted a six-run fourth with a three-run homer as the New York Yankees began their final homestand with an 8-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.
The Yankees (99-53) lowered their magic number to clinch their first AL East title since 2012 to one after the second-place Tampa Bay Rays fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5.
Severino allowed two singles while facing 15 hitters after missing New York's first 151 games due to right rotator cuff inflammation. He struck out four, walked two and threw 47 of 67 pitches for strikes on a night in which he was likely going to be limited to around 75 pitches.
Severino threw his fastball 37 times, and it averaged 96.6 mph while topping out at 98.8 mph.
He put his first two hitters on as Brian Goodwin walked to cap a 12-pitch appearance and David Fletcher singled. Severino then got a groundout and ended the inning by getting Albert Pujols to ground into a double play.
The right-hander retired the side in order in the second, easily got through the third after issuing a leadoff walk and ended his night by getting Jared Walsh on a harmless grounder with a runner on first.
Gio Urshela hit an RBI single and Cameron Maybin hit an RBI double in the second before the Yankees put the game out of reach in the fourth.
Torres capped New York's big inning with a towering homer off Jose Suarez into the visiting bullpen beyond the left-center-field fence. Torres hit his 38th homer after DJ LeMahieu had an RBI single and Didi Gregorius hit a two-run, bases-loaded double.
Jonathan Loaisiga (2-1) followed Severino with two hitless innings and was awarded the win by the official scorer. Stephen Tarpley (1 1/3 innings), Cory Gearrin (two-thirds of an innings) and Chance Adams completed the shutout.
Noe Ramirez (5-4), the Angels' opener, allowed two runs in one-plus inning. Suarez gave up six runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings.
The Angels (68-83) lost for the seventh time in their past eight games and fell to 2-10 in their past 12 road games. Los Angeles also fell to 14-34 since July 24.
Already without Mike Trout (right foot), Shohei Ohtani (left knee) and Justin Upton (right knee), the Angels lost second baseman Luis Rengifo to an injured left hand in the seventh. Rengifo was due to undergo an X-ray.
--Field Level Media
