New York Yankees 7 – Toronto Blue Jays 5
Looking to prevent the sweep, the Yankees require a spot start from a strong member of the bullpen, Luis Severino.
In the first inning, Brett Gardner started the inning in exciting fashion when he laid down a bunt. On the play, Russell Martin threw the ball into right field allowing Gardner to advance to third on the error. After a ground out by Jacoby Ellsbury did not score Gardner, a ground out by Gary Sanchez did.
In the first inning for Luis Severino, it is worth noting that Josh Donaldson scored on a bases loaded walk but he reached after he was hit by a pitch as it grazed his elbow guard.
To start the second inning, J.A. Happ threw two pitches at Chase Headley, with the second hitting him. Tempers flared briefly but ultimately led to just an ejection of manager Joe Girardi, who thought Happ deserved to be ejected for intentionally throwing at a player.
In the bottom of the second inning, Luis Severino threw in on Justin Smoak, resulting in his ejection and benches clearing. Severino, coaches Rob Thomson and Larry Rothschild were ejected.
Jonathan Holder came on to wrap up the inning.
In Holder’s second inning of work, Troy Tulowitzki put the Blue Jays back ahead with a run-scoring double. James Pazos came on in relief but gave up a run-scoring single to Michael Saunders before inducing a double play to end the inning.
Kirby Yates, Richard Bleier and Adam Warren put together four innings of scoreless relief to hold the Blue Jays to just three runs.
J.A. Happ managed seven innings of one-run baseball before running into trouble in the eighth inning. After pinch-hitter Starlin Castro flew out to right, Brett Gardner reached with a double to right field. Jacoby Ellsbury made it a one-run game with a single that also knocked Happ out of the game.
Jason Grilli came on for the save but could not finish off tonight’s game. With one out, Mark Teixeira hit an emphatic solo home run to right to tie the game, 3-3. Didi Gregorius followed with a single and Aaron Hicks delivered the go-ahead two-run home run to give them a two-run lead. Donovan Solano added a double that knocked Grilli out of the game. Brett Gardner walked to start the outing for Danny Barnes and Jacoby Ellsbury hit a single that put the Yankees ahead by three. A sacrifice fly by Gary Sanchez made it a four-run game.
With a four-run lead, Dellin Betances was still given the call but the struggles for the Yankees closer continued. After a walk of Smoak, Betances was forced to field a bunt but could not come up with it cleanly for an error. After a wild pitch, Betances walked Darwin Barney to load the bases and end his difficult night on the mound.
Tommy Layne got Josh Donaldson to fly out to right for the first out before walking Encarnacion, pulling the Jays within three as the bases remain loaded. Dioner Navarro made it a two-run game when he dropped a fly ball into shallow right-center. Russell Martin got on top of the ball and Tommy Layne responded by retrieving the ball and diving to get Darwn Barney out at home, saving a run from scoring. The final out of the game came on a fly ball into foul territory by Troy Tulowitzki as Brett Gardner made a sliding catch.
Without recording an out, Betances allowed two runs, one earned, on no hits and two walks. He threw 11 pitches and just three for strikes.
With tempers flared, the Yankees were energized to tie and take the lead in tonight’s win, preventing a potential four-game sweep.
Win – Adam Warren (7-4)
Loss – Jason Grilli (7-6)
Save – Tommy Layne (1)
Notables
Yankees
*Brett Gardner – 3 for 4, 3 R, 2B
*Mark Teixeira – 2 for 4, R, Solo home run (14) in the 9th, RBI (39)
Blue Jays
*Edwin Encarnacion – 1 for 3, 2 BB, RBI (126)
*Troy Tulowitzki – 1 for 5, 2B, RBI (78)
Current Yankees Record: 80-76
