Toronto @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 17, 2012 ) Toronto 1, NY Yankees 6
The New York Yankees have certainly enjoyed the comforts of home this season, while the Toronto Blue Jays have had a miserable time in the Bronx. The Yankees will vie for their eighth consecutive home victory over the Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon when the American League East rivals complete their three-game series. New York, which is 4-1 on its six-game homestand, has won eight of its last 10 contests.
Toronto found life difficult in its first game without Jose Bautista. The slugger, who was placed on the disabled list prior to Tuesday's 6-1 setback, injured his left wrist during a series-opening 6-3 loss on Monday. Edwin Encarnacion has fared well in this series, ripping a pair of doubles in both contests.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Ricky Romero (8-5, 5.03 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (8-7, 3.67)
Romero is mired in a career-high four-game losing skid, although he pitched well in his last two outings. After yielding two runs on four hits on July 7, the 27-year-old allowed just a solo homer in a 1-0 loss to Cleveland on Friday. Romero is 3-4 versus the Yankees in his career, although he hasn't faced them this season.
Kuroda matched a season high by permitting seven runs on eight hits in an 8-1 loss to Toronto on May 16. The 37-year-old Japanese star settled down after that start to win five of his next seven decisions. Kuroda has struggle in July, yielding 12 runs on 17 hits in 13 innings to pick up a pair of no-decisions.
WALK-OFFS
1. Robinson Cano didn't wait long to extend his career-best hitting streak to 20 games. Cano singled in the second inning and came around to score on Andruw Jones' three-run homer on Tuesday. Cano is batting .405 during the streak.
2. Called up from Triple-A Las Vegas in the wake of Bautista's injury, Anthony Gose made his major-league debut in the seventh inning. After grounding out, he then recorded his first hit with an infield single in the ninth. Gose is expected to start on Wednesday.
3. Alex Rodriguez served as the Yankees' designated hitter for the second straight game due to a stiff neck.