Facing the Toronto ‘Buffalo’ Blue Jays for the first time this season, the Yankees are looking to strike first against their AL East rivals. A mid-week three game set still features the arms of Jordan Montgomery, J.A Happ and Deivi Garcia. Yankees and the Blue Jays square off in Buffalo, play ball!
Game 1 Final: Yankees 7, Blue Jays 12
Probables: Jordan Montgomery (2-2, 5.72 ERA) vs Hyun Jin Ryu (3-1, 3.19 ERA)
Win / Loss / Save: TOR – Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) / NYY – Adam Ottavino (2-3)
Looking to snap out of the horrid losing streak, the Yankees entered the game with determination to win. Jumping out of the gates hot, New York put up two runs in the top of the first inning via home runs from Voit (14) and Hicks (4). Though striking back and tying the back in the bottom half of the inning, two runs came in off of an RBI double from Tellez and an RBI single from Espinal.
Headed into the sixth inning, all looked like smooth sailing as the Yankees held onto a strong 6-2 lead. A two-run double from Frazier, a home run from Andújar (1) and a bases-loaded walk counted for the six run total.
Yankees’ starter Jordan Montgomery pitched decently as he was taken out of the game after two ER in 3.1 IP. After, Jonathan Holder was called out of the bullpen and went 1.2 innings of strong work.
Here’s where the game took a turn for the worst:
What went from a 6-2 lead, was erased in a matter of minutes. The right-hander Green got knocked around and a pair of RBI singles and an error allowed three runs to score. After 0.1 IP, Chad Green was replaced by lefty Adam Ottavino in hopes to get the game back on track. Though, Ottavino also was not his usual-self and also got knocked around by the Toronto bats. Ottavino allowed a go-ahead two-run RBI double from Travis Shaw. To add insult to injury, he also allowed a Grand Slam from Danny Jansen (4) to cap off a 10, yes 10, run inning for the Blue Jays.
This is a brief summary of the Yankees 2020 season: A strong start, but eventually slipping and falling down a steep hill. Both sides of the ball need to be better in order for this team to even make the Playoffs. Plain and simple. Game one goes to Toronto: 12-7.
Player of the Game: RF Clint Frazier: 2-5, 2B 2 RBI, R
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Game 2 Final: Yankees 1, Blue Jays 2
Probables: J.A Happ (1-1, 4.67 ERA) vs Taijuan Walker (3-2, 2.36 ERA)
Win / Loss / Save: TOR – Yamaguchi (2-3) / NYY – Happ (1-2) / TOR – Dolis (3)
In a very low-scoring game — unlike Game 1 — both pitchers performed well. J.A Happ got the ball for New York and he was electric. The southpaw went 6.1 IP on 4 hits, 2 earned runs and 10 strikeouts. Besides allowing a two-run home run in the second, Happ didn’t miss a beat.
For Toronto, Taijuan Walker got the start. Going 4.0 IP and striking out three, it was a bullpen game for the Blue Jays. Arms such as Yamaguchi, Cole, Kay and Dolis all pitched in for a well-built Toronto win.
The New York offense just could not put the pieces together this game and fall to .500 this season. The bats in this game went 0-for-7 with RISP and left 10 runners stranded on the base paths. With a team with this many talented players — this outcome should never even be a thought. The gears have to get turning soon, or else it’s too late. Toronto 2, Yankees 1
Player of the Game: SP JA Happ: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 10 K, 113 P
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Game 3 Final: Yankees 7, Blue Jays 2
Probables: Deivi Garcia (0-1, 1.38 ERA) vs Tanner Roark (2-1, 5.74 ERA)
Win / Loss / Save: NYY – Garcia (1-1) / TOR – Stripling (3-3)
After a long and depressing five game losing streak, the Yankees are back in the win column! Although this is only one win, the Bombers still have a long way to go in order to grab a top postseason standing spot. The man on the mound for the Yankees was the young and electric Deivi Garcia. In his 3rd career start, the right-hander stepped up in the spotlight and threw seven strong innings. Earning his first big league win, Garcia allowed 5 H, 2 ER and 6 K in Buffalo. Per Katie Sharp, Deivi is the 1st pitcher in Yankees history to have 2 games of 6+ K and 0 BB within his first 3 career MLB games. The future is certainly bright for the top prospect.
Gleyber Torres got New York on the board early with a solo home run in the second. A half inning later, Toronto took the lead on a two-run home run. The Yankees would counteract the Jays’ lead and tie the game on a solo shot from DJ LeMahieu (5). The Yankees leadoff hitter is clobbering an impactful .355 BA and currently leads the American League in this category.
In the fifth, NY would go onto score three. An RBI single from Voit and a two-run double from Torres piled onto the lead. Later, Frazier and Torres (again) would add one more each with an RBIs in the 9th.
After an embarrassing beginning of the series, the New York Yankees persevered and turned the tides on a morale-boosting win. This could potentially be a start of something big for the Bronx Bombers. Your final: Yankees 7, Blue Jays 2.
The Yankees head back home for a four-game set with the Baltimore Orioles. New York will send out ace Gerrit Cole in game one.
Player of the Game: SS Gleyber Torres: 2-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, R
Player of the Series: RF Clint Frazier: 4-11, 2B, R, 3 RBI, 3 BB, SB
Upcoming Series: Sept. 10 – Sept. 13 vs Baltimore Orioles
Photo: Bryan M. Bennett / Getty Images
