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Yankees game 153: Kuroda extends Yankees success over Buehrle

Toronto Blue Jays 3 — New York Yankees 5

The Yankees like when Mark Buehrle is going against them, tonight was no different.

In the first inning, Hiroki Kuroda benefited from some heads up defense but could not keep the Blue Jays off the scoreboard. After a leadoff double by Jose Reyes, Jose Bautista hit a ground ball to Derek Jeter. The Yankees shortstop would fake out Reyes at second, who intended to advance after the throw to first base. Jeter and Headley would get Reyes out at second base and the lead runner was out. This would be a moot point when Edwin Encarnacion put a 2-0 pitch into the left field foul pole for a two-run home run. Kuroda would bounce back from the home run with a pair of strikeouts but the damage was done.

For the normally struggling Yankees offense, two runs would be a difficult feat. But Mark Buehrle was on the mound. Entering tonight, Buehrle was winless over his last 16 starts against the Yankees.

Jacoby Ellsbury started the bottom of the first inning with a line drive to right field that missed being a home run by inches. Ellsbury would settle for a double and Derek Jeter would hit a line drive off the glove of Adam Lind to put runners on the corners with no outs. Brian McCann would go against the shift with a single to left field that scored Ellsbury. A double play by Mark Teixeira and a strikeout of Carlos Beltran would end the inning but the Yankees did get one on the board.

After missing the home run in the first inning, Jacoby Ellsbury would strike again. After a leadoff single by Ichiro Suzuki, Ellsbury would hit a deep fly ball into the right field bleachers and the Yankees take the lead. The two-run home run was the 16th home run for Ellsbury this season and it put the Yankees ahead by one.

In the fourth inning, Stephen Drew hit a one-out single. Chase Headley would walk on five pitches and Ichiro Suzuki walked on four pitches to load the bases. Jacoby Ellsbury would hit a ground ball to second baseman Munenori Kawasaki. In the attempt for a double play, shortstop Jose Reyes would throw it by Adam Lind at first base and two runs would score on the play.

In the process of running out the ground ball, Jacoby Ellsbury strained his hamstring and exited the game.

Jose Reyes would get the Blue Jays within two after stealing second and advancing on the wide throw by Brian McCann. Reyes scored on a ground out but Hiroki Kuroda would continue going and making the lead stand. Kuroda would retire seven after the Reyes single before an infield single in the seventh inning ended his night. Against Josh Outman, Jose Reyes hit a ground-rule double into the left field corner that likely kept the Blue Jays from scoring a run. Esmil Rogers would walk Jose Bautista on a long 10-pitch at-bat but Edwin Encarnacion would ground out with the bases loaded, ending the inning and finishing off Hiroki Kuroda’s pitching line.

In 6.2 innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits while walking none and striking out seven.

In the eighth inning, Esmil Rogers gave up a single, balked the runner to second and got a ground out to put the runner on third. Adam Warren would take over for Rogers and struck out Danny Valencia and Munenori Kawasaki to strand the runner on third. Adam Warren would stay on for the ninth inning with the possibility of his third save of the season. Warren would get the final three outs of the inning and got his save.

The Yankees have a three-game winning streak. Mark Buehrle is now 0-12 in his last 17 starts against the Yankees. He sees the Yankees in his nightmares.

Win – Hiroki Kuroda (11-9)

Loss – Mark Buehrle (12-10)

Save – Adam Warren (3)

 

Notables

Blue Jays

*Edwin Encarnacion – 1 for 4, R, 2-Run Home Run (33) in the 1st, 2 RBI (89)

*Jose Reyes – 3 for 5, R, 2 2B

Yankees

*Jacoby Ellsbury – 2 for 3, 2 R, 2B, 2-Run Home Run (16) in the 3rd, 3 RBI (70)

*Brian McCann – 1 for 4, RBI (67)

 

Current Yankees Record: 79-74