Toronto’s offensive outburst against the Yankees pitching staff puts New York in a hole that even two Aaron Judge round-trippers couldn’t remedy.
- New York Yankees 5 (86-69)
- Toronto Blue Jays 9 (73-83)
- W: Marcus Stroman (13-8, 3.06 ERA)
- L: Jaime Garcia (5-10, 4.41 ERA)
- AL, Final, Box Score
- Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
A day after securing the 53rd playoff berth in franchise history, the New York Yankees were torched for nine runs as they fell to the Toronto Blue Jays, 9-5, this afternoon in Toronto. Jaime Garcia and the rest of the Yankees pitching staff were seemingly in hot water all afternoon, giving the Blue Jays an advantage that they would never relinquish.
Aaron Judge’s steamy September continued as the potential MVP blasted two home runs this afternoon. But Judge’s Herculean efforts were all for naught, as minuscule contributions from everyone else in the lineup resulted in a lost series and dropping yet another game behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East.
Highlights
Toronto Breakfast: Yankee Pitching, Extra Maple
Just as he did against Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray, Teoscar Hernandez got the Blue Jays out in front by hitting a first-inning leadoff home run to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. It’s been somewhat of a coming out party for Hernandez this weekend, as the long ball was his third in as many days.
Things didn’t get any easier for the lefty Garcia, evidenced by the ringing double he allowed to Kevin Pillar to open the second inning. After Pillar stole third during Russell Martin‘s at-bat, Darwin Barney lifted a sacrifice fly to center that scored Pillar from third to extend the Blue Jays’ lead to two.
Garcia just didn’t have it today, as the veteran was only able to record one out in the bottom of the third before hitting the showers. After striking out Josh Donaldson to begin the frame, a Justin Smoak double and two walks to Jose Bautista and Kendrys Morales loaded the bases for Martin, the former Yankees backstop.
Manager Joe Girardi promptly hopped out of the dugout to bring in Jonathan Holder to try and keep the deficit at two. Martin had other ideas however, as the Canada native laced a bases-clearing double into the left field gap to make it a 5-0 Jays’ advantage.
CLEAR 'EM! ?@russellmartin55 unloads the bases and it's 5-0 #BlueJays! pic.twitter.com/yZBso02GSA
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 24, 2017
All three runs were charged to Garcia, leaving the lefty with a brutal final line: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K.
Marcus Stroman began the fourth with back-to-back walks to Chase Headley and Aaron Judge. The next batter, Didi Gregorius, smoked a single into center that plated Headley to put the Yankees on the board at 5-1. Unfortunately, the Yankees were unable to push anything else across and were forced to settle for just the one run.
Toronto kept their foot on the gas pedal and got that one run right back. Bryan Mitchell came on to pitch the fourth and immediately served up a single to Ryan Goins, followed by a walk to Hernandez to begin the frame. Josh Donaldson then ripped a single into center that scored Goins from second to put Toronto back up by five at 6-1.
Trouble didn’t stop there for Mitchell as the righty walked Justin Smoak to load the bases for the honored Bautista, who was playing his last game in front of the Toronto fans. Bautista obliged by smacking a single into right that scored Hernandez to make it 7-1, keeping the bases loaded with still no one out. Kendrys Morales then singled into left field to score two, but the relay throw from Brett Gardner to Starlin Castro to Austin Romine nailed Bautista at home. Despite Toronto challenging the call of out at home, the umpire upheld the ruling to keep the score at an abysmal 9-1.
#AllRise, Twice
As the Bombers tried to put a comeback together, the historic rookie campaign for Aaron Judge continued in the top of the sixth as His Excellency unloaded on a hanging changeup from Stroman for his 47th home run of the season.
Trademark @TheJudge44 laser for homer No. 47. pic.twitter.com/4tGfnHxEeR
— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2017
Following the homer, Stroman gave up a ground-rule double to Jacoby Ellsbury and walked Todd Frazier before manager John Gibbons came out of the dugout and pulled his ace. Left-handed Matt Dermody came on in relief and quickly served up an RBI double to Greg Bird that scored Ellsbury to make it a 9-3 contest. Unfortunately, the Yanks once again stranded runners in scoring position and were forced to be content with only the two runs rather than putting themselves in a position to make this a game again.
In the top of the seventh following a Headley single, Judge did it again.
.@TheJudge44 is coming for the rookie homer record.
ONE AWAY. https://t.co/8s5ZUspATC pic.twitter.com/wQ5x8HhBkY
— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2017
The long ball pulled the MVP candidate to within one of Mark McGwire’s all-time rookie record of 49 bombs set back in 1987. Although, you may remember that number 49 for Judge may have already happened.
Aaron Judge should already have tied Mark McGwire. This April 16 homer was ruled a triple: https://t.co/5ZIPSItNgW
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 24, 2017
Adios Señor Bautista
With one out in the top of the ninth inning, Gibbons made the call to replace Bautista in right field, allowing the Blue Jays great to get one last standing ovation from the fans in attendance. A classy move.
Your right fielder, No. 19, José Bautista. pic.twitter.com/gzsNOdkW6G
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 24, 2017
What’s Next
The Yankees will look to rebound from today’s tough loss as they head back to the Bronx to face Kansas City to begin their final homestand of the 2017 season. The Yankees send C.C. Sabathia (12-5, 3.81 ERA) to the mound, looking to get the Pinstripers back on track. The Royals counter with young righty Jake Junis (8-2, 4.05 ERA), who will be looking to lock down the all important game one win .
The game is set to begin at 1:05 PM/ET at Yankee Stadium tomorrow, and can be seen on the Yes Network/MLB Network(for those out of market) and can be heard on WFAN 660/101.9 FM.
