Nova Implodes
Blue Jays Shut Out #Yankees
By Howard Goldin
BRONX, NEW YORK (BRONX SPORTS)- The race for first place in the American League East tightened up on Saturday as the Toronto Blue Jays won their second straight contest over the Yankees, 6-0.
Saturday ended with Toronto trailing the Yankees by 2.5 games with the two clubs scheduled to play again on Sunday afternoon.
The two starting pitchers, Ivan Nova of the Yanks and David Price of the Blue Jays, did not allow a run to score during the first five frames. In only one of the innings, the bottom of the fourth, did two men get on base as Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran singled. Price only gave up one more hit, a single by DidiGregorious in the seventh.
The game was transformed from an exciting pitchers’ duel into a one- sided affair in the top of the sixth. With one out, Nova loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Justin Smoak then cleared the bases on a 0-1 pitch grand slam homer, the first of his career and the first by a Toronto batter in Yankee Stadium. Manager Gibbons mentioned the obvious, “Smoaky got an important hit.”
A solo home run by Troy Tulowitzki off Yankees reliever Bryan Mitchell with two out in the next inning raised the Toronto advantage to 5-0. Toronto has yet to lose a contest in the 10 games in which Tulo was in the starting lineup for the blue Jays.
The Jays scored the final run of the contest in the eighth.
Price has won both of his starts in a Toronto uniform in a most impressive manner. On August 3, he yielded only three hits and one run in eight innings against Minnesota. He walked two, but fanned 11. He was just as effective on Saturday afternoon against the first place Yankees. Again, he only gave up three hits while blanking the Yanks in seven innings.
Price had a much better performance than his most recent against New York. He explained the reasons, “I made better pitches. I got ahead of the hitters.” He admitted it a 0-0 game was easier for him to pitch, “It’s tough to go out there when the team’s going well.”
When asked his opinion of the performance, Toronto skipper John Gibbons replied, “That’s what we envisioned when we pulled off the trade. [It was] another great performance. He’s intimidating.”
Thus far, it appears as it the acquisition of Tulowitzkiand price before the July 31 trade deadline provided very wise additions to the club. Gibbons commented, “The trades have helped [for the hundredth time]. [They are] two marquee names. I noticed a difference in the club. So far, it’s definitely paid off."
#Yankees #IvanNova #BlueJays
