The Yankees followed their road sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a visit to those pesky Toronto Blue Jays. Ryan Weathers started on Friday night, against Trey Yesavage, the Jays' answer to Cam Schlittler, as the Yankees found out last October. Neither had much: Weathers allowing 6 runs on 5 hits over 4 1/3rd innings, including yet another home run against the Yankees by former Houston Astro cheater George Springer; and Yesavage allowing 5 runs on 4 hits over 5.
The difference was that the Jays got good pitching the rest of the way, while the Yankees got a little less than that. Jake Bird and Fernando Cruz each allowed an additional run. Despite a home run from Cody Bellinger, the Yankees lost, 8-5.
Schlittler started on Saturday afternoon, against Kevin Gausman, who always seems to pitch well against the Yankees, both with the Jays and earlier in his career with the Baltimore Orioles. Cam gave us 7 innings with just 1 run, but Gausman did the same, the only run he allowed coming on a home run by Jasson Domínguez, who was called up when Trent Grisham went on the Injured List.
But Bellinger led off the top of the 9th with a single, and Paul Goldschmidt hit a home run. David Bednar struck out the side to save it for Fernando Cruz: Yankees 3, Blue Jays 1.
The game ended at 5:44 PM. At 11:28, the Knicks won the NBA Championship.
The Sunday afternoon game was also tight -- until the end. As with the day before, the Yankees seemed to be copying the Knicks: Struggle early, win late.
Will Warren, like Weathers a hole-in-the-rotation filler due to injuries, threw 98 pitches -- in only 4 innings. He allowed 8 hits and 3 walks, but somehow allowed only 2 runs. The Yankees scored 2 of their own in the bottom of the 2nd, and it was 2-2 after 5. Each team scored a run in the 6th. Neither team scored in the 7th or the 8th.
For a while, early in the season, Goldschmidt looked done. But, in the absence of Judge, Stanton, and now Grisham, he and Ben Rice have really picked up the pace. With 1 out in the top of the 9th, Goldschmidt singled. Ryan McMahon was sent in to pinch-run for him. And then Rice crushed a drive down the right-field line for a home run.
That should have been enough. But the Yankees weren't done. Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you. Domínguez drew a walk. Bellinger flew out, but Jazz Chisholm walked. And then José Caballero hit one out. Bednar was already warming up, and came in even though it wasn't a save situation. He allowed a leadoff single and a 2-out double, but never really got into trouble. Yankees 8, Blue Jays 3. Camilo Doval, who pitched a perfect 8th, was named the winning pitcher.
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So, after taking 2 out of 3 from the Peskies, and 5 out of 6 on the roadtrip so far, the Yankees are 43-27, for a winning percentage of .614, on a pace to go 99-63. They have the best record in the American League, although 3 teams in the National League have a better record. They lead the AL Eastern Division by a game and a half over the Tampa Bay Rays (1 game in the loss column), 10 over the Jays, 10 1/2 over the Orioles, and 13 1/2 over the despised Boston Red Sox.
Tonight, they come home, and play the Chicago White Sox. They'd better be careful: These are not the Pale Hose who set a modern baseball record with 121 losses 2 years ago, or the South Siders who lost 102 last season. The White Sox are no joke: They are 38-32, leading the AL Central, and are coming of a 2-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves and 2 out of 3 from the Atlanta Braves -- along with the Milwaukee Brewers, 2 of the 3 NL teams that have a better record than the Yankees. Take them lightly at your peril.
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