Yanks Sweep Blue Jays

Yanks Sweep Blue Jays

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 20- The Yanks 6-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium gave them a sweep of the three-game series. The win cut the Toronto lead over the second place Yankees to 1.5 games in the American League East. The win was also the 16^th straight for the Yankees over the Blue Jays in the Bronx.

As in the previous two starts against the Blue Jays, a combination of effective pitching and timely hitting led to the Yankee victory. Carlos Beltrán, who contributed to the win with two runs driven in, described the three games against Toronto thusly, “We got great outings from our starting pitchers and we scored runs.”

David Phelps, who starts or relieves as the need arises, pitched seven innings on Thursday, which tied for his high for the season. His performance was outstanding as he only yielded six hits and two walks during his stint on the mound. 

Only two of the six hits did damage. With two out in the third, Jose Reyes singled. The next batter, Melky Cabrera, delivered. The former Yankee homered to right to drive in two runs. The home run was his second hit of the game and extended his hitting streak against his former team to 19 games, the longest active hitting streak by a player against any team. Cabrera has reached base safely in all his 21 games against the Yankees.

Phelps has not had much difficulty in his four career starts against Toronto, all played in the Bronx. He raised his won/loss mark to 3-0 and lowered his ERA to 2.67. The 27 year-old said, “I expected to be on a longer leash” since relievers Dellin Betances and David Robertson were not available to pitch.

New York, without the luxury of any home runs, used effective at bats to score its six runs.  The rare use of “small ball’ was responsible for the Yankee win.

Sacrifice flies by Jacoby Ellsbury in the first, Kelly Johnson in the second and Carlos Beltrán in the third gave the Yankees its first three scored.

Beltrán’s double in the fifth drove in the fourth run for New York. A ground out to short by Derek Jeter in the sixth and a bases loaded walk in the seventh scored the final two runs for the Yankees.

The Baltimore Orioles will be visiting for the three game weekend series. On Saturday a plaque to honor Tino Martinez will be placed in Monument Park. Goose Gossage will be honored with a plaque on Sunday. Also, the annual Old Timers’ Day festivities will take place on Sunday.