Back-to-back doubles by Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista, who over the first eight games had basically been the Blue Jays’ offence, restored a two-run lead, Tulowitzki lined a solid single to right field to cash in another run, Martin, who walked and scored on Ryan Goins’ double in the second, hit a sacrifice fly and Goins capped things off with an RBI single. For the second straight game, they managed less than half that amount.
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The Blue Jays play the New York Yankees on Wednesday and Thursday. Manager Joe Girardi wondered how that will impact Tanaka’s “sharpness”. Overall I feel like we have a great team.
Drew Storen gave up a solo homer to Mark Teixeira in the eighth inning.
Pineda’s counterpart, J.A. Happ, surrendered seven hits but worked around jams in the third and sixth to hold the Bombers to one run. A high pitch count combined with four walks meant that his innings would likely be limited, which they were. “He really mixed it up in and out, up and down, kept us off-balance”. He is 3-2 with a 4.85 ERA in nine career starts against the Yankees.
Tuesday night, in the first game of the three-game affair against the Yankees, was just another example of the troubles Cecil has been experiencing. With such a lead, manager John Gibbons elected to go with newly promoted Pat Venditte to finish the game. “We’ll see what the game dictates”. He didn’t astound anyone with his off-speed pitches, giving up seven hits over six innings pitched while allowing just one run, but he certainly gave the Jays a chance to win. Up next, Bautista smoked a hanging slider to deep center for a two-run double. You can’t throw everybody away every time they have a bad outing, you wouldn’t be able to field a team, contrary to what a lot of public opinion might think. “I thought that was a good situation to bring him in. That’s something I’ll work on [over] these five days and I’ll be sharp next start”.
Ronald Torreyes, who has been with five different organizations in the past year, singled and doubled today to kick off his Yankee career with a.857 batting average in his first seven at-bats. Mike Mussina walked two or fewer in his final 37 starts with NY. Girardi said when he saw the 35-year-old outfielder in spring training, he looked fine and that nothing seemed wrong with him physically. He had thrown more than 70 pitches by the end of the third inning and was finished after five.
Before signing on Wednesday, Swisher worked out last weekend at New York’s minor-league complex in Tampa, Fla.
Goins drove in the game’s opening run in the second inning when he doubled to plate Russell Martin, who had reached on a walk. McCann said he expects to return to the lineup Thursday. However, Chris Colabello grounded into a crucial double play to end the inning. He went 2-for-4, scored a run and made a throwing error that led to one of the two Blue Jays runs in the fifth inning.
The Yankees could perhaps be slightly tempted to keep him out of the lineup for another day as he’s 2 for 13 lifetime against Marcus Stroman (1-0, 5.40 ERA).
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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez throws against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 12, 2016, in Toronto.
