New York Drops Opener In Toronto
After sweeping the doubleheader on Thursday in Detroit New York then traveled to Canada to begin a three game series against Toronto but unfortunately it didn’t go New York’s way.
The Yankees crammed all their offense into one inning on Friday, and for a little while, it seemed like that would be enough. But the Blue Jays capitalized on a run-scoring balk to tie the game in the seventh and then Bo Bichette ended it with a walk-off home run in the 12th to hand the Yankees a 6-5 loss at the Rogers Centre. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
Tyler Lyons, making just his fifth appearance since signing with the Yankees a month ago, left a slider middle-in for Bichette, who skied it to left field. Clint Frazier watched helplessly from the warning track as the ball carried over the wall. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
Bichette's homer was the only hit for either side in extra innings, which symbolized the ineffectiveness of New York's offense most of the evening. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
"They matched it up a little in some different ways," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Blue Jays, who deployed nine pitchers in the game. "Just couldn't get it going enough offensively outside that inning. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
By "that inning," Boone means the fifth, in which the Yankees scored all five of their runs on five hits and a walk. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
Brett Gardner led off the inning with a hustle double on a ball that bounced off a sliding Teoscar Hernandez in center field. Then Frazier blooped a double into shallow right field (only 56.4 mph exit velocity) and advanced to third on an errant throw. Austin Romine and DJ LeMahieu followed with a pair of two-strike singles. Gio Urshela later singled as well, and Didi Gregorius walked.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
It was a turning point that chased Toronto starter Anthony Kay (making just his second MLB start) and put New York on top, 5-3. But the game would turn again.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
In the seventh, with a one-run lead and runners on the corners, New York reliever Adam Ottavino took a misstep as he attempted a pick-off move and was called for a balk. That allowed Richard Urena to advance home from third and tie the game. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
"I have to be sharper," said Ottavino, who has allowed a run in three-straight outings for the first time since last September. "I'm just not as sharp as I need to be right now." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
New York's offense wasn't sharp enough either, providing no spark as the game wore on through extras. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
As for Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka, nothing was easy after a clean first inning. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
After allowing a pair of runs in the fourth, he sat for 35 minutes while the Yankees went to work with its five-run eruption. When Tanaka came back out, it took only two minutes for him to get into trouble: allowing a lead-off double to Bichette, followed by an RBI single for Cavan Biggio to cut the Yankees' lead to 5-4. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
That would be the end of the damage against Tanaka, though, who yielded eight hits and four earned runs in five innings. It wasn't his usual dominance over the Blue Jays (he'd been 4-1 with a 1.97 ERA in five previous starts against them), and he knew it. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
After allowing a pair of runs in the fourth, he sat for 35 minutes while the Yankees went to work with its five-run eruption. When Tanaka came back out, it took only two minutes for him to get into trouble: allowing a lead-off double to Bichette, followed by an RBI single for Cavan Biggio to cut the Yankees' lead to 5-4.
That would be the end of the damage against Tanaka, though, who yielded eight hits and four earned runs in five innings. It wasn't his usual dominance over the Blue Jays (he'd been 4-1 with a 1.97 ERA in five previous starts against them), and he knew it. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
"Just couldn't really hold them down when I needed to," Tanaka said. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
"They dinged him enough, obviously," Boone said of Tanaka. "Made him work there in the fourth and fifth, but [he] left us with a chance to win the game." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
The Yankees, of course, didn't win the game. That means their magic number to lock up the American League East remains at five. Chipping away at that number isn't easy right now, as the Yankees are in the midst of 11 road games in a 10-day span. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
The past two days have been particularly trying -- a doubleheader on a travel day Thursday in Detroit (in which three players left with injuries), followed by a 12-inning game that stretched into the final hour of Friday night. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
"You know you're gonna go through points in the schedule like that and you try to navigate it the best you can," Boone said. "And we need to come out ready to go tomorrow and try and grab one back." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-offense-stalls-after-five-run-frame
Meanwhile Toronto was on the other end of the spectrum in the opening game but didn’t come without an injury.
Blue Jays reliever Tim Mayza left Friday night's 6-5 walk-off win over the Yankees in the 10th inning after suffering a left elbow injury and is undergoing further evaluation by the team's medical staff with an MRI, the club announced. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
After releasing a 3-2 pitch to Didi Gregorius , the ball sailed behind Gregorius and Mayza fell to the ground in obvious pain. The 27-year-old was visibly emotional as his teammates and Blue Jays staff surrounded him on the mound before he left with a trainer, not moving his arm. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
"I love Tim Mayza," said manager Charlie Montoyo following the game. "He pitches every day. He's done a great job and he's part of our future. He felt it and it was emotional. Everybody was, because everybody loves Timmy Mayza." “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
Mayza entered play on Friday with the fifth-most appearances in the American League at 67, and he was making his 68th when the injury happened. Now in his third season with the Blue Jays after debuting in 2017, Mayza owns a 4.91 ERA with 55 strikeouts over 51 1/3 innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
Bo Bichette was the walk-off hero in the bottom of the 12th inning with a solo home run to left field. Following a debut that's seen Bichette add a new record seemingly every game, this was the 21-year-old's first career walk-off home run and made him the youngest Blue Jay to ever hit a walk-off home run.”according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
Bichette isn't lacking confidence, either, and he made good on a prediction that Montoyo overheard in the dugout just before Bichette stepped to the plate in the 12th. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
"This kid's going to be a star," Montoyo said. "He's confident. Before the at-bat, he told a guy on the bench, 'If they leave the left-hander on the mound and he throws me a slider, I'm going to take him deep.'" “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
Anthony Kay pitched 4 1/3 innings before turning things over to an eight-man bullpen effort, including Mayza. Kay allowed five runs on seven hits, but all of that damage came in the fifth inning after he looked much sharper through the first four frames. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
The Blue Jays had a noticeably poor inning defensively as those five runs crossed, which follows a night filled with outfield blunders on Thursday, so it can't all be put on Kay. There's plenty for the 24-year-old lefty to take from those clean innings early on and carry forward, especially considering that he did it against one of baseball's best teams. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
"I feel like I executed a lot of my pitches, and for the most part, I kept it off the barrel," Kay said. "Most of the damage that was done was just them finding holes and nothing too serious." “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
It's still a bittersweet win, though, given the loss of Mayza. Yankees' reliever Adam Ottavino, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015 and faced a long recovery after, was watching the game in the clubhouse after pitching and knew that it looked serious, adding that he hopes that Mayza avoided a major injury.”according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
Kay, who is new to the organization after coming over from the Mets at the Trade Deadline, described the mood in the dugout as he watched one of his new teammates leave the field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
"It sucks. You don't even want to see that happen to anyone on the other team," Kay said. "It's terrible to see that to happen to anyone. Everyone was pretty much sick to their stomach. It's just not something you ever want to see." “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/tim-mayza-injured-throwing-pitch
New York and Toronto will play game two of their three game series on Saturday afternoon where James Paxton who is from Canada will start for New York and will not only look to help them bounce back but the left-hander will aim for his ninth straight win.