New York Yankees 2 — Toronto Blue Jays 7
Hiroki Kuroda and the Yankees struggled in the rubber match with tonight’s 7-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
In the first inning, Kuroda got the first out but it didn’t turn out well from there. With two on, Brett Lawrie laced a double into left field for two runs. The Blue Jays have had a very bad connection to the Yankees this season and it began in Spring Training when Curtis Granderson would be put on the shelf with a broken hand after Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ when inside and hit him. Yesterday, Robinson Cano was hit in the hand by an inside pitch from J.A. Happ. Unintentional or not, Hiroki Kuroda’s first pitch to Rajai Davis got him in the back and the Blue Jays had two on.
Catcher J.P. Arencibia would strike out for the third out but it wasn’t that simple. On the strikeout of Arencibia, Hiroki Kuroda and Chris Stewart were crossed up. Stewart looked for the pitch to go outside but it went in and deflected off of his glove for a passed ball. When Stewart got to the ball, he threw it away attempting to get Arencibia out at first and the two runs scored.
In the second inning, Edwin Encarnacion would jump on an inside pitch and hit a booming two-run home run into left field. The Blue Jays would make it three consecutive innings with a run when Jose Reyes hit a sacrifice fly for the seventh run of the game.
Seven runs through three innings is a big mountain to climb and Blue Jays starter Todd Redmond kept the Yankees low on the mountain.
Redmond would start the fourth inning with a pair of walks. Alex Rodriguez would drill a single to left field to bring in the first run of the game. Mark Reynolds would hit a deep double into right center field. With Alex Rodriguez as the trail runner, he would be sent home and a throw from the relay man, Ryan Goins, would get Rodriguez at home for a likely poor decision to send him home with the score being 7-2.
In just five innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed seven runs (five earned) on nine hits while walking one and striking out four. He has been struggling recently. Starting pitching will be critical if the Yankees maintain any hope of being in the postseason.
Win – Todd Redmond (2-2)
Loss – Hiroki Kuroda (11-10)
Notables
Yankees
*Mark Reynolds – 3 for 4, RBI (54)
*Alex Rodriguez – 1 for 4, RBI (9)
Blue Jays
*Brett Lawrie – 2 for 4, R, 2B, 2 RBI (35)
*Edwin Encarnacion – 1 for 4, R, 2-Run Home Run (34) in the 2nd, 2 RBI (99)
Current Yankees Record: 70-63
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