Saturday, July 7, 2018

Game #88 New York Yankees (57-29) @ Toronto Blue Jays (41-47) - game recap

Yankees veteran outfielder Brett Gardner was 2-5 at the plate with 3 RBI and a pair of runs scored as the Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 8-5

Today's game was a battle of the aces. Luis Severino has been terrific this year with a sparkling 13-2 record and major league-leading 1.98ERA. The hard-throwing righty has been nearly unhittable this season. Meanwhile, JA Happ has been the Blue Jays best starting pitcher by a large margin, but he struggled his last start and command of his inside fastball has been an issue lately. Which of these aces prevailed today? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights

  • The Yankees opened the scoring as lead-off batter Brett Gardner to straightaway center on the game's first pitch
  • The next batter, Aaron Judge homered to left-center, doubling the lead
  • Five batters later, Brandon Drury doubled, scoring Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks
  • The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom of the 2nd as Kevin Pillar homered into the Blue Jays bullpen; also scoring Justin Smoak
  • Both CC Sabathia and John Gibbons were ejected in the 3rd inning for arguing balls and strikes
  • The Yankees added 2 more runs in the top of the 3rd as Gardner tripled home Didi Gregoris and Greg Bird
  • Gardner scored on a passed ball by Luke Maile
  • JA Happ pitching line: 2.2IP 4H 6R (all earned) 6BB 5K 84 pitches (47 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 4th as Randal Grichuk crushed a laser into the second deck just inside the foul pole in left field
  • Luis Severino pitching line: 5IP 5H 3R (all earned) 2BB 5K 97 pitches (70 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 6th as Smoak scored on a sac fly by Pillar
  • The Yankees added an insurance run in the top of the 9th as Gregorius singled home Miguel Andujar
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 9th on an Aledmys Diaz solo HR to left-center
  • Final score: Yankees 8 Blue Jays 5
My Take

  • It's never a good sign when your bullpen is getting loose in the first inning of a game. JA Happ had what might have been his worst start of the season. The first two batters took Happ deep on the first 4 pitches of the game. Hap then walked the next two batters. Overall Happ walked 6 batters today. He was missing his spots badly and not getting any help from umpire Lance Barrett. This was a potentially important start for Happ, as the Yankees are one of the teams that may potentially trade for Happ later this month.
  • The umpiring was not good today and neither side was happy, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons and Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia were both ejected in the top of the 3rd inning for arguing balls and strikes. 
  • The Blue Jays lost Rhiner Cruz to an apparent knee injury. Cruz threw a pitch and came off the mound in obvious discomfort. John Axford did an excellent job, striking out Brett Gardner on three pitches. The Blue Jays are already missing starting pitchers Marco Estrada, Jaime Garcia and Aaron Sanchez, as well as closer Ryan Tepera. Expect the Blue Jays to make a roster move to have an extra reliever on hand in case Ryan Borucki gets in trouble tomorrow
  • The Yankees also lost their closer Aroldis Chapman to an apparent ankle or knee injury as he landed awkwardly after delivering a pitch. This might indicate that the groundskeepers need to do a better job getting the mound ready.
  • Every Blue Jays starter got on base at least once today, and Yangervis Solarte was the only one without a hit.
  • Up next, the rubber match of this weekend series takes place with the series win up for grabs after the two teams split the first 2 games. Blue Jays rookie Ryan Rorucki will be making his third career start against Yankees righty Domingo German. Both Kendrys Morales and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. are 1-1 against the Yankees rookie.