Yankees 0 - 2 Blue Jays
Final
  for this game

Yankees bring postseason hopes into Toronto

Sep 17, 2013 - 2:49 PM (Sports Network) - A visit to Toronto may be just what the doctor ordered for the New York Yankees.

The Yankees try to get themselves back into the postseason mix on Tuesday when they kick off a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

New York's postseason hopes took a huge hit over the weekend, as it dropped all three games to the Boston Red Sox, including a 9-2 shellacking in Sunday's finale at Fenway Park.

Ivan Nova (8-5) was knocked out in the fifth inning after allowing five runs -- four earned -- on six hits and four walks to suffer his first loss since July 27.

"It hurts," Nova said. "It's bad, especially when you see the teams ahead of you lose and you want to get a win for the team. Unfortunately I couldn't get it today. That's the worst part."

To make matters worse Alex Rodriguez, who is already dealing with a hamstring issue, left the game with a tight right calf and is questionable for the start of this series.

New York has lost seven of its last 11 games and finds itself 2 1/2 games back of the second wild card spot in the American League. But now it goes up against the Blue Jays, a team that it has beaten in 13 of 16 matchups this season.

On Tuesday, the Yankees will turn to veteran lefty Andy Pettitte, who is 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA. Pettitte did not receive a decision for a third straight start on Wednesday in Baltimore, as he allowed three runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 frames of his team's 5-4 win.

"It's just battle; figure out a way," Pettitte said after that outing. "We've been doing it all year. We're going to continue to do it. We're going to continue to push through this and no matter how you lose a game here or there, it's not over until we're eliminated, as far as I'm concerned."

Pettitte has faced the Blue Jays 47 times (46 starts) and is 25-13 with a 3.94 ERA.

Toronto, meanwhile, will counter with the National League's reigning Cy Young Award winner, R.A. Dickey, who has won his last three decisions and is 12-12 with a 4.36 ERA. Dickey did not get a decision on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels, as he gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 5-4 loss.

Since the start of August, Dickey is 4-1 with a 3.56 ERA after compiling a 4.66 ERA over the season's first four months.

Dickey is 4-3 in 13 games (7 starts) against the Yankees with a 3.22 ERA.

Toronto heads into Tuesday having lost five of its last six after dropping two of three to the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend that culminated with a 3-1 loss on Sunday.

Mark Buehrle (11-9) gave up three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and three walks in five innings for Toronto, which finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11.

"It was a battle all day," Buehrle said. "I wasn't very pleased with myself."

Since 2001, Toronto has won the head-to-head matchup with New York just one time, going 10-8 against the Yanks in '10.






Related News