And because they are 3 ½ games back of the Blue Jays, whose magic number is eight with 11 games remaining, the wild card looks like the avenue the Yankees will take to the postseason, where they haven’t been since 2012.
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“As important as any games we’ve played all year when you talk about trying to win the division”, manager Joe Girardi said last night. I was hoping to go out there and throw up a zero. “Now it’s off to tomorrow”. Maybe the fact that the struggling Chasen Shreve didn’t pitch says something about his place in the relief pecking order. “He just leaned out and got it. Great piece of hitting”. The Yankees signed Brian McCann to replace him, but what if none of that had ever happened?
DETROIT – Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings and Victor Martinez blasted his 200th career home run to lead Detroit over Chicago.
Gooden didn’t have the same outgoing personality as Stroman, Gibbons said, but he had the same competitiveness and intensity – a desire to be in the spotlight in the biggest games. “They’re nothing to sneeze at”. And a big part of this has been the play of Martin against his former club.
In the seventh, Josh Donaldson led off with a double – his third hit of the game – and moved to third on a Jose Bautista grounder.
“I was pretty pumped up”, he said.
Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the Indians (74-76), who now trail the Astros by 5 1/2 games with 12 left to play. In fact, it is the best in baseball.
Girardi couldn’t recall the bench being more excited at any time this season. “He was probably as fired up as I’ve seen him all year, too“.
Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who struck out with the bases loaded for the third out in the eighth inning, homered in the bottom of the 10th but the Blue Jays had no more left.
Martin connected off Andrew Bailey in the seventh, matching his career high for homers with 21, as Toronto took two of three from New York in a showdown between the division’s top teams. He gave up the game-tying homer to Blue Jays C Dioner Navarro in the ninth Tuesday as he blew the attempt for his 35th save of the season. It was only Miller’s second blown save of the season.
Santana (6-4) turned in his fifth straight stellar start, surrendering five hits, one run and one walk while striking out seven. He struck out four and gave up three hits during a 99-pitch effort.
The victory restored Toronto’s 3 1/2-game cushion on the second-place Yankees in the division standings. I tried to go fastball in and he did the same thing. Umpire Greg Gibson initially ruled Ackley safe, but the call was overturned upon replay review.
Estrada intentionally walked Ellsbury and was relieved by Aaron Loup. Alex Rodriguez?
The Yankees lead the majors with 119 first-inning runs this season. There is no timetable for his return.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays begin a three-game series Friday night.
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Stroman (3-0), meanwhile, making his third start after missing most of the season while recovering from knee surgery, allowed five hits and a walk. It will be Stroman’s second start against New York. The Blue Jays have made a run and they are going to be tough to beat in the AL, while the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers are all threats.
