Blue Jays: After an off day Thursday, Toronto heads into the A.L East gauntlet with two series at home, four games against the Yankees, followed by three against Baltimore, that has huge wild card implications. “I think at this point of the year, that’s all you can ask for”. “And I think they’re able to do that”.
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Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer and Edwin Encarnacion got his 124th RBI, tied with Boston’s David Ortiz for the AL lead, as the Blue Jays won their sixth straight home game over NY.
The Yankees are 5-2 in their last seven Friday games, and 1-4 in their last five games against a left-handed starter. It seems to indicate that the Yankees must sweep the Blue Jays, who despite being swept September 5-7 at Yankee Stadium have won nine of the 15 games between the teams this season and five straight against the Yankees at the Rogers Centre. “We just have to go out there and play loose, take things one game at a time”, Brett Gardner had said.
DUNEDIN City officials are recommending an $81 million project that includes renovations to Florida Auto Exchange Stadium on Douglas Avenue as part of their commitment to keeping the Toronto Blue Jays training activities in Dunedin.
With 10 games left and NY back three of a playoff spot, there is little room for error. There were signs in a 10-2 victory over the Mariners on Tuesday that that there might be an offensive revival.
Martin and Saunders became the first Canadian-born teammates in major league history to hit at least 20 home runs in the same season. “This is a very important time for us”.
However, for those who are planning to drive downtown, Const. Clint Stibbe said drivers may want to double or triple their travel time.
Liriano will make his ninth appearance, and seventh start, for Toronto since he was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates Aug. 1.
Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (11-6, 3.79) allowed six runs five earned and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings in his last start, a 6-0 loss vs. Houston. LHP James Paxton (4-7, 3.88 ERA) starts the Friday opener.
Martin and Saunders each homered off Hisashi Iwakuma (16-12) during the Blue Jays’ big inning.
A couple weeks ago, it looked like both American League Wild Card teams would come out of the AL East – but that was before the schedule started to take its toll. The fact that Sanchez has pitched just two-and-a-third fewer innings this season than Happ, despite making two fewer starts, speaks volumes to his efficient ability to limit the number of stressful innings that he has pitched so far this season.
None of the runs in the first was earned after NY first baseman Billy Butler somehow mishandled a slow-roller stroked his way by Josh Donaldson for an error that provided Toronto with its first base runner of the inning.
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“We’ve had a tough week, but we have to keep having fun”, said Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, who is retiring at the end of the season. “Fortunately, we got that run across in the last inning, or that play doesn’t matter”.
