Toronto Blue Jays 2 — New York Yankees 4
Ichiro joined an elite group of players in tonight’s 4-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
With 3,999 professional hits, Ichiro Suzuki would not wait to reach the 4k milestone. With one out in the first inning, Ichiro would hit a ground ball single past the diving third baseman and 4,000 was reached.
Upon reaching first base, Ichiro would be surprised with his Yankees teammates emerging from the dugout to congratulate him on the historic accomplishment. He would take a couple of bows to the Yankee Stadium crowd giving him a well-deserved ovation for the accomplishment only two others achieved, Ty Cobb and Pete Rose.
Spot starter Adam Warren was asked to give the Yankees as many innings as he could. In the second inning, Munenori Kawasaki would give the Blue Jays the lead with a single to right field. Ichiro would field the ball and try for a play at the plate but the ball would get by catcher Austin Romine. The inning would end on a called third strike to Jose Reyes and this would result in the end of Jose Reyes’ night, when he was ejected while arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Ted Barrett.
In the bottom half of the second, Eduardo Nunez would start off the Yankees with a single. Nunez would steal second when Lyle Overbay struck out. He would also move to third on a wild pitch by Dickey. Jayson Nix would be hit by a pitch on the left hand during his first at-bat and after walking to first base, he would exit. It would later be revealed that he fractured his hand.
Austin Romine would hit a deep fly ball to left field that left fielder Kevin Pillar made a leaping grab to take away extra bases from the Yankees young catcher. He would bring in Nunez as the tying run and the Yankees would take the lead in the third.
With one out in the third, Robinson Cano hit a double to right field and then with two outs, Curtis Granderson would come through, hitting a single to right field to bring home Cano and gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. In the fourth inning though, the lead would disappear.
Josh Thole opened the fourth inning with a home run and the lead was gone just like that. Warren would hit the next batter and that would be the end of his day. David Huff would come in for relief and he would induce two ground outs and a strike out to finish off the inning.
Adam Warren used 61 pitches to get through three innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Throughout the game, the Yankees had a hard time solving the effective knuckleball of R.A. Dickey. The game would be tied until the eighth inning.
With two outs in the eighth inning, Robinson Cano would hit a single to right field and Alfonso Soriano would come up. Already exceeding 100 pitches, R.A. Dickey would leave a pitch in the zone for Alfonso Soriano and he would deliver it into left field. The two-run home run snapped an 0-for-17 skid that he was on just after being the hottest batter in the world.
The Yankees lead came in the bottom of the eighth and when that happens, the top of the ninth inning goes to one pitcher, Mariano Rivera. After striking out the first batter, Rajai Davis would hit a double into the left field corner. With the next batter, Edwin Encarnacion batting, Mariano Rivera would do something he’s only done five times in his career, pickoff a runner. He turned and picked off Rajai Davis from second base and got the second out. Rivera would catch Encarnacion looking at strike three and the Yankees did everything right in this win.
David Huff earned his first win of the season with a fantastic game. The left-handed Huff went five scoreless innings allowing just one hit while walking four and striking out two. He also made a sparkling play in the eighth inning when he fielded a bunt with his glove and tossed what could have been a single.
Not to be overshadowed, Ichiro Suzuki achieved a professional baseball accomplishment that few have reached and few will reach. 2,722 hits in the MLB and 1,278 in Japan, Ichiro Suzuki is a first ballot Hall of Famer, a respected ballplayer with respect for the game. His achievement is another historic moment in the 2013 season.
Win – David Huff (1-0)
Loss – R.A. Dickey (9-12)
Save – Mariano Rivera (37)
Notables
Blue Jays
*Josh Thole – 1 for 3, R, Solo Home Run (1) in the 4th, RBI (6)
*Munenori Kawasaki – 1 for 4, RBI (21)
Yankees
*Alfonso Soriano – 1 for 3, R, BB, 2-Run Home Run (26) in the 8th, 2 RBI (79)
*Robinson Cano – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2B
Current Yankees Record: 67-59
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