Toronto @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2012 ) Toronto 1, NY Yankees 2
Outstanding pitching helped the New York Yankees reclaim their American League East lead with a doubleheader sweep Wednesday, and now the Yankees have one of their top pitchers over the second half of the season trying to lead them to a three-game sweep of the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Phil Hughes takes the mound for the Yankees, who lead the division by a half-game over Baltimore.
The Yankees have won four straight and six of seven, and their sweep Wednesday gave them an 8-5 lead in the season series. The Blue Jays have lost six of eight to match their low-water mark for the season at 15 games below .500. Hughes has met mixed results in four starts against Toronto this season, but he beat the Blue Jays in the most recent meeting, allowing one run over seven innings Aug. 28 in Toronto. He is 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA against the Blue Jays this season. Hughes is 10-4 with a 3.56 ERA in 15 home starts compared to 5-8 with a 4.43 ERA in 14 road starts.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SN-1, YES, MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Aaron Laffey (3-5, 4.55 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Phil Hughes (15-12, 3.96)
Laffey has bounced between the bullpen and rotation, and his latest turn as a starter hasn't been impressive. He allowed three runs over just 3 2/3 innings Friday against Boston after going just 4 2/3 innings in his previous outing. He doesn't have a win since Aug. 5. Laffey made one relief appearance against the Yankees this season, allowing two runs in 2 2/3 innings Aug. 27 in New York. He is 0-2 with a 9.56 ERA in five games (two starts) against the Yankees.
Hughes got off to a rocky start to the season, but he has been one of New York's most consistent pitcher since the start of June. He has won two straight starts and recorded quality starts in five of his last six outings. Hughes is 4-5 with a 4.66 ERA in 21 games (14 starts) against Toronto.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees SS Derek Jeter is riding a 13-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in the American League. Jeter is 3-for-8 (.375) against Laffey.
2. Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion (toe) missed both games Wednesday and has sat out three straight contests. Encarnacion is 8-for-22 (.364) with a homer against Hughes, while the rest of Toronto's roster is a collective 19-for-101 (.188).
3. Ichiro Suzuki went 7-for-8 in Wednesday's doubleheader. He recorded the second game of his career with four hits and four stolen bases, joining Kenny Lofton, Rickey Henderson and Carl Crawford as the only players since 1920 with two such games.