New York Yankees 6 – Toronto Blue Jays 4 (10 innings)
It took the Yankees extras, but the Bird is the word.
In the first inning, the Yankees got going with a leadoff double from Jacoby Ellsbury against Marco Estrada. Brett Gardner flew out to center but Alex Rodriguez walked and Brian McCann brought Ellsbury home with a run-scoring single.
Carlos Beltran got the productive out with a sacrifice fly into left field and the Yankees were out in front early by two.
For the Yankees, Luis Severino took the mound looking to have a better start with command after struggling against the Blue Jays the last time he faced them.
The first batter, Ben Revere, hit a line drive off the glove of Chase Headley for an infield single. It was erased on a sharp ground ball to Dustin Ackley, who tossed it to Didi Gregorius to start a double play. The next at-bat ended quickly when Jose Bautista flew out for a quick six-pitch inning.
The Yankees got a second double from Jacoby Ellsbury in his second at-bat of the game but he was not brought around to score.
Luis Severino made a mistake pitch in the third inning that Kevin Pillar put over the wall with a line drive solo home run to cut the Yankees lead in half. In the fourth inning, Luis Severino started by walking Josh Donaldson. After a fly out and a ground out following a wild pitch, Justin Smoak got a base hit to right field. Carlos Beltran came up throwing but Donaldson came around to score. On the throw home, Severino cut it off, getting Smoak out between first and second but the game was tied.
The game remained tied at two throughout the remainder of both starting pitcher’s outings. In six innings, Luis Severino allowed two runs on three hits while walking three and striking out three. Tonight’s outing was much better than his outing against the Blue Jays in Yankee Stadium.
In the seventh inning, the Yankees had an opportunity to score. With one out, Dustin Ackley worked a walk and on a single to right by Didi Gregorius, Ackley made an attempt at third base. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Jose Bautista threw a rocket to third base, getting Ackley at third following a review to overturn the initial safe call.
With one out in the eighth inning, Carlos Beltran broke the 2-2 tie with a solo home run to right against reliever Liam Hendriks.
With the one-run lead, Dellin Betances came on for the eighth inning. Kevin Pillar started the inning with a single. He advanced to second on a sacrifice. He bounced back by striking out Ben Revere but control eluded the big Betances. He walked Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista to load the bases. After falling behind 2-0 to Edwin Encarnacion, Betances returned to what brought him to The Show. He blew two fastballs past Encarnacion at 99 and 98, respectively. Then, at 2-2, dropped an 86 mph breaking ball to get Encarnacion swinging out of the zone for the final out.
Against the Blue Jays, a one-run lead is usually not enough. Chris Young started the ninth inning with a walk and he advanced to third on a ground-rule double by Didi Gregorius after he failed to get a sacrifice bunt down. Jacoby Ellsbury looked to get Young home on a sacrifice fly to right field but Jose Bautista showed off his arm one more time. On the fly out, Bautisa threw home and on the fly, catcher Dioner Navarro tagged Chris Young out, for an amazing double play. Brett Gardner walked to bring Alex Rodriguez to the plate but a fly out ended the inning with the one-run lead standing pat.
Andrew Miller came on for the ninth inning, looking to make the one-run lead stand. After getting the first out, former Yankee Dioner Navarro got a hold of a first-pitch fastball and put it into the seats in left field, tying the game at 3. After getting the second out, Kevin Pillar hit a double to right. An intentional walk of pinch-hitter Matt Hague and walk of pinch-hitter Russell Martin loaded the bases for MVP-candidate Josh Donaldson. After getting ahead with sliders, Andrew Miller struck out Donaldson with a fastball that he got by him, ending the inning and sending the game into extra innings.
Against reliever Mark Lowe, Brian McCann used the shift against the Blue Jays when he dropped in a bunt that he beat out, with a wide throw thrown. Pinch-hitter Slade Heathcott reached thanks to catcher’s interference and it set the stage for the Bird. After falling behind 0-2 in the count, Greg Bird worked it back to 2-2 before getting enough of a slider to put it over the right field wall for a go-ahead three-run home run.
The 10th home run of Greg Bird’s young career was the sixth home run that gave the Yankees the lead. Way to come up when the team needs you, kid.
Andrew Miller returned to the mound for the bottom of the inning, looking to make the three-run lead stand. After getting one out, Edwin Encarnacion got a hold of a fastball and put it in nearly the same spot as the Navarro home run to bring the Yankees lead down to two. But, Andrew Miller settled down, striking out Justin Smoak and getting Dioner Navarro to fly out for a energetic and emotional Yankees victory.
Win – Andrew Miller (3-2)
Loss – Mark Lowe (1-3)
Notables
Yankees
*Greg Bird – 2 for 5, R, 2B, Three-run home run (10) in the 10th, 3 RBI (28)
*Carlos Beltran – 2 for 3, R, Solo home run (17) in the 8th, 2 RBI (60)
Blue Jays
*Kevin Pillar – 3 for 3, R, BB, 2B, Solo home run (11) in the 3rd, RBI (49)
*Dioner Navarro – 1 for 5, R, Solo home run (5) in the 9th, RBI (20)
Current Yankees Record: 83-67
