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Yankees game 1: One bad inning beats Tanaka

Toronto Blue Jays 6 — New York Yankees 1

Masahiro Tanaka started his first opening day and he would like one inning back.

In the first two innings, Masahiro Tanaka leaned on the movement of his pitches, heavily throwing sliders. He would strike out three in the first two innings, including a strikeout of Jose Bautista on a slider.

In the third inning, the bottom half of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup got things started.

Kevin Pillar would hit a single to left that would get by Chase Headley. Devon Travis would walk and the lineup turned over. Jose Reyes looked to advance the runners with a sacrifice bunt but a mix-up in the field would be very costly. Headley would make a wide throw to first base that soared into right field for an error on the Yankees third baseman and the first run on the board. Former Yankee Russell Martin would take advantage of a drawn in, shifted infield with a first pitch single to right field, scoring two runs. One out later and Edwin Encarnacion would hit his first home run of the season, a two-run home run to left field for the big blow in the dreadful five-run third inning.

In four innings, Masahiro Tanaka allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. The third inning featured all the runs allowed. Tanaka threw 82 pitches, 50 for strikes.

For the Blue Jays, the youngest opening day starter in franchise history, Drew Hutchison, pitched a great game.

Through the first three innings, the Yankees got one baserunner, an Alex Rodriguez walk in his first at-bat in over a year. In the fourth inning, the Yankees would get their first hit from Brian McCann, a pulled single after a failed attempt at bunting to defeat the shift but the Yankees would still be held off the board. Alex Rodriguez would get his first hit, a single, in his second plate appearance but it would not result in any runs. The Yankees would get on the board in the sixth inning when Brett Gardner hit his first home run of the season.

In six innings, Drew Hutchison allowed one run on three hits while walking two and striking out three.

After a scoreless inning by Chris Martin, in which he struck out the side, Chasen Shreve pitched a scoreless sixth inning. In the seventh inning, Shreve’s second inning of work, rookie Devon Travis would get his first hit, a solo home run, to make up for the run the Yankees put on the board.

In the eighth inning, Didi Gregorius reached base after being hit by a pitch. Carlos Beltran would walk with two outs to put Gregorius at second base. Immediately after a pitching change, Gregorius would make a very ill-advised decision. The Yankees shortstop would attempt to steal third base with two outs and a five-run deficit. He would be caught stealing and ended the inning.

The Yankees would go down in order in the ninth inning as the Yankees took the loss to start the 2015 season. The offense could only muster three hits and three walks today. In positive news, the bullpen allowed just one run over five innings.

 

Win – Drew Hutchison

Loss – Masahiro Tanaka

 

Notables

Blue Jays

*Russell Martin – 1 for 4, R, BB, 2 RBI (2)

*Edwin Encarnacion – 1 for 4, R, Two-run Home Run (1) in the 3rd, 2 RBI (2)

Yankees

*Brett Gardner – 1 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (1) in the 6th, RBI (1)

*Alex Rodriguez – 1 for 2, BB

 

Current Yankees Record: 0-1