Final
Cecil hopes to pitch Blue Jays to quick sweep of Yankees
Apr 20, 2011 - 2:38 PMVideo
Cecil has a chance to complete the sweep after the Blue Jays sweated out a 6-5 win in 10 innings last night on Travis Snider's RBI double in the bottom of the 10th inning. The two-base hit plated Edwin Encarnacion, who started the frame with a single off of Yankees reliever Ivan Nova. Two outs later, Snider came through in the clutch to give Toronto just its third win in 10 tries.
"This team continues to find ways to scratch and claw their way back into ballgames," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "It was just an outstanding team effort tonight."
Jose Bautista homered and scored three runs, including one during a two-run bottom of the ninth inning, and Encarnacion ended 3-for-5 with an RBI, as Toronto halted a three-game slide. Yunel Escobar scored on a rare wild pitch by Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in the ninth and Bautista later came home to tie the game at 5-5 on John McDonald's infield bunt single.
"It's just a great play," Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said of the bunt. "That's why you run it. When it's run well, it's almost impossible to defend. I thought there might be a chance to get him, so I gave it a quick flip, but it's a great play."
Kyle Drabek did not record a decision and allowed four runs on six hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings, while Jon Rauch picked up the win with a scoreless top of the 10th.
The Blue Jays are 5-2 at home this season and will shoot for their sixth home win with Cecil on the hill Wednesday. Cecil has made seven starts in his career against the Yankees, going 4-1 with a below average 4.32 ERA over 41 2/3 innings. He will face the Yankees for the first time this season and went 4-0 with a 2.67 earned run average in five starts against them a year ago.
The southpaw is 1-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three starts in 2011 and won his most recent outing last Friday in a 7-6 victory at Boston. Cecil, a University of Maryland product, allowed three runs on a pair of homers and four walks over six innings. He bounced back nicely from a start in Anaheim in which he was reached for five runs and 10 hits.
New York looks to bounce back into the win column after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth inning. It entered last night's series opener having won two straight and four of five games, but the bullpen failed to deliver.
Yankees starter A.J. Burnett lasted 5 1/3 innings and permitted three runs, two of which were earned, and six hits in the no-decision. Rivera was hit for a pair of runs and four hits for his first blown save of the season. The righty had five blown saves a season ago.
"I held the ball too long," Rivera said of his errant throw. "It went the wrong way. It was way too away. It ended up being a wild pitch. I was upset at that one, definitely. In that situation, you can't do that."
Teixeira hit a two-run homer and Curtis Granderson belted a solo shot for the Bronx Bombers, who are 1-3 away from home this season. Yankees MVP third baseman Alex Rodriguez missed his second straight game with a sore left side and is questionable for tonight's game.
Bartolo Colon is still searching for his first win since July 24 of the 2009 season as a member of the Chicago White Sox. He is 0-1 with a 3.97 earned run average in three relief appearances with his new club and hurled three innings the previous time out in a 6-5 win versus Baltimore.
The portly right-hander, who is getting a shot in the rotation with Phil Hughes on the 15-day DL, kept the Orioles off the scoreboard in those three innings and allowed three hits with three K's and one walk. Colon has faced the Blue Jays plenty of times throughout his lengthy career and is 8-3 with a 3.65 ERA in 18 starts.
Toronto won 10 of the 18 meetings with New York last season, including six of the nine matchups held at Roger Centre.
- NEW YORK: 6
TORONTO: 2
Final
Apr 20 10:08 PM - Curtis Granderson lead-off Home Run (6) to right. Derek Jeter due up.
Yankees 6, Blue Jays 2 Top 9, 0 OutsApr 20 9:43 PM - Octavio Dotel starts the inning for the Blue Jays.
Yankees 5, Blue Jays 2 Top 8, 0 OutsApr 20 9:22 PM - Robinson Cano sacrifice fly out to left scored Mark Teixeira. None on with two outs and Andruw Jones due up.
Yankees 5, Blue Jays 1 Top 5, 2 OutsApr 20 8:24 PM - Alex Rodriguez sacrifice fly out to center scored Nick Swisher. Runner on third with one out and Robinson Cano due up.
Yankees 4, Blue Jays 1 Top 5, 1 OutApr 20 8:23 PM - J.P. Arencibia lead-off Home Run (3) to left center. Travis Snider due up.
Yankees 3, Blue Jays 1 Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 20 7:38 PM - Derek Jeter grounded out short to first scored Curtis Granderson. None on with two outs and Nick Swisher due up.
Yankees 3, Blue Jays 0 Top 2, 2 OutsApr 20 7:34 PM - Curtis Granderson tripled to right scored Russell Martin. Runner on third with one out and Derek Jeter due up.
Yankees 2, Blue Jays 0 Top 2, 1 OutApr 20 7:33 PM - Robinson Cano grounded out to first scored Nick Swisher. Runners on second and third and with two outs and Andruw Jones due up.
Yankees 1, Blue Jays 0 Top 1, 2 OutsApr 20 7:16 PM - NEW YORK: 0
TORONTO: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Apr 20 7:08 PM
Related News
- Top 100 Yankees: #41 Bobby Murcer Dec 26
- Today on Pinstripe Alley - 12/26/23 Dec 26
- NYY News: Yanks in on Yariel Dec 26
- Merry Christmas Dec 25
- Ask Pinstripe Alley: Yankees mailbag questions request Dec 25
- Happy Birthday Rickey Henderson Dec 25
- Today on Pinstripe Alley - 12/25/23 Dec 25
- NYY News: The bill is due Dec 25
- Yankees Social Media Spotlight: Rest in Peace Dec 24
- On family baseball memories and appreciating every game Dec 24
- Hall of Fame Poll: David Wright Dec 24
- Top 100 Yankees: #42 Brett Gardner Dec 24