Game #80 Toronto Blue Jays (29-51) @ New York Yankees (51-28) - game recap

Edwin Encarnacion smacked a solo HR in the 8th as the Yankees edged the Blue Jays 4-3

The Blue Jays had a big inning late to make a game of a baseball game they were never really in (still kicking myself for leaving CC Sabathia on my fantasy team bench :( rats.) Tonight, Clayton Richard took the ball first. He's been rocked in a few of his starts, much like E-Jack. Danny Jansen was back behind the plate and Teoscar Hernandez was back in center field after a day off last night to rest his ailing wrist. Other than that, same lineup as yesterday. Oh, and the Yankees DFA'd Kendrys Morales today after activating him from the IL. Could the Blue Jays beat the mighty Yankees? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Yankees opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as DJ LeMahieu led off the game crushing a solo bomb to left.
• A batter later, Aaron Judge clobbered one to right-center.
• Chad Green pitching line: 1IP 0H 0R 0BB 1K 13 pitches (8 for strikes)
• The Yankees added a run in the bottom of the 2nd as Gleyber Torres whacked an opposite field shot to right
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 6th as Freddy Galvis scored on a sac fly by Eric Sogard
• A batter later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled home Danny Jansen
• Clayton Richard pitching line: 6IP 8H 3R (all earned) 1BB 1K 77 pitches (49 strikes)
• The Yankees added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Edwin Encarnacion smacked an opposition field shot to right
• The Blue Jays got a run back in the top of the 9th as Randal Grichuk singled scoring Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
• Aroldis Chapman pitched the 9th for his 23rd save of the season.
• Final score: Yankees 4 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Let's talk about the Yankees opening run for a second because it was significant to their illustrious history. The HR broke a Yankees franchise record for consecutive games a Yankee went yard. The new record is 27 and counting. The previous record was set back in 1941 when the Yankees roster included a guy named Joe Dimaggio. They also had HOFer's Bill Dickey, Joe Gordon and Phil Rizzuto in their lineup.
• Clayton Richard, after infamously becoming the pitcher that set the new Yankees franchise record for consecutive games with a HR, settled down nicely and had a strong start allowing 3 runs (all on solo HR), 8 hits and a walk over 6 strong innings.
• It took the Blue Jays until the top of the 5th to break up the perfect game with Cavan Biggio leading off that inning with a double
• The difference in this one was a solo HR by ex-Blue Jay Edwin Encarnacion
• Weird 9th inning that saw a wild pitch by Aroldis Chapman, and Biggo reach on catcher interference when Gary Sanchez's glove got in the way of his swing
• For the second day in a row, the Blue Jays forced Chapman to sweat with the tying run at 2nd base and the go ahead run standing at 1st base. Freddy Galvis had a great AB, but in the end Champan got him to ground out softly to 2nd base to end the game.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to prevent being swept by the Yankees as Trent Thornton takes to the mound looking for his 3rd straight strong start. Canadian lefty James Paxton will be on the mound for the Yankees. After this game, both teams will enjoy an off-day, with the Yankees getting the extra off-day due to travel/time zone acclimatization as they have a 2-game set vs. the Red Sox on the weekend in London, England as the MLB tries to expand into the European markets