Friday, August 11, 2017

Yanks Get Nothing In Toronto Finale, Come Home for Huge Series With Sox

The Yankees finished up their roadtrip at the Rogers Centre last night, and did nothing against those pesky Toronto Blue Jays.

Here's all the Yankee baserunners:

* 1st inning: Aaron Judge drew a walk. Didi Gregorius doubled -- but Judge couldn't score on it, and Gary Sanchez struck out to strand the runners.
* 2nd: Garrett Cooper doubled -- but was stranded.
* 3rd: Judge hit a ground rule double -- but was stranded.
* 4th: Nothing.
* 5th: Cooper singled to lead off , and Torreyes walked -- but they were stranded.
* 6th: Sanchez walked, and Todd Frazier singled -- but they were stranded.
* 7th: Nothing.
* 8th: Sanchez singled -- but was stranded.
* 9th: Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a walk, and Brett Gardner also walked -- but they were stranded.

So that's 4 innings with at least 2 men on, and 6 innings with at least a man on 2nd -- and no runs.

Sonny Gray wasn't terrible, going 6 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 of them earned, on 4 hits and 4 walks, striking out 6. But he got no support at all. Blue Jays 4, Yankees 0. WP: Marco Estrada (5-7). No save. LP: Gray (6-7, now 0-2 as a Yankee).

*

So the Yankees come home, 4 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League Eastern Division, 4 in the loss column, with 49 games to play. Those 4 games in hand have shrunk to 1. And the Sox come in, for a series that may well determine how the rest of the season goes in the AL East.

David Ortiz is gone, and Hanley Ramirez has disappointed this season, but it doesn't seem to matter. Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. have been hitting.

Dustin Pedroia will miss this series due to an injured knee, and there's concern that he might miss the rest of the season, which would be a big blow to the Sox if (as seems likely) they make the Playoffs. The Red Sox recently picked up Eduardo Nunez, the former Yankee whose tin glove ran him out of town.

* Tonight, 7:05: Jaime Garcia makes his Yankee Stadium in Pinstripes debut, against Eduardo Rodriguez.

* Tomorrow, 1:05: Luis Severino vs. Drew Pomeranz.

* Sunday, 8:00: Jordan Montgomery vs. Chris Sale.

The Yankees need these games. Come on you Pinstripes: BEAT THE SCUM!

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