Toronto @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 17, 2011 ) NY Yankees 7, Toronto 2
THE STORY: The New York Yankees, coming off winning two of three games at bitter rival Boston, must avoid a post-Red Sox hangover when they face another division opponent in the Toronto Blue Jays for a three-game series beginning Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Having whittled Boston’s lead to one-half game atop the American League East, the Yankees need to keep the momentum going on this six-game homestand against Toronto and the Baltimore Orioles due to a 10-game road trip that follows. The Blue Jays took two of three in Baltimore behind an explosive offense that produced 26 runs in the series.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, RSN, YES
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Brandon Morrow (9-9, 4.79 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Ivan Nova (14-4, 3.96 ERA).
Morrow has been battered in his last two starts, giving up 11 runs on 17 hits in only 10 innings. He has served up five homers in the two outings to fall to 1-4 in his last five starts. Morrow has been much better on the road, going 5-1 in 10 starts. He also is 3-1 in 14 appearances - eight starts - against New York. Jorge Posada (8-for-18) is the only Yankee regular batting higher than .286 against him.
Nova has won six consecutive starts since he was recalled from the minors and is 10-0 in his last 11 starts. The Yankees appear to love playing behind him, amassing 92 runs in his last 11 outings. Nova's last loss came on June 3 against the Los Angeles Angels. He defeated Toronto on May 1 by allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Jose Bautista and Adam Lind have both homered off the Dominican righty.
ABOUT THE YANKEES (83-53): Alex Rodriguez could return to the lineup Friday after missing five games with a thumb injury, but New York might be without first baseman Mark Teixeira, who suffered a bruised knee when he was hit by a pitch Thursday. The Yankees got great production from the bottom of the order versus Boston. Russell Martin delivered a go-ahead, two-run double in the rubber game and Eric Chavez – subbing for Rodriguez – had four RBIs in the series. Robinson Cano had his fourth multi-hit game in his last five and has hit safely in 22 of his last 23 games.
ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (69-68): Rookie Brett Lawrie continues to live up to the hype. He belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift Toronto to an 8-6 win over Baltimore in the series finale. Lawrie had three hits to extend his hitting streak to nine games. He has four homers, three triples and 10 RBIs in that span. Yunel Escobar has back-to-back four-hit games and has hit in five straight. Kelly Johnson is also on a tear. He had three hits Thursday and is 9-for-17 with two homers and two triples in his last four.
FINAL PITCH: Bautista, who leads the majors in home runs, needs one more to reach 40 for the second straight season. The last Blue Jays player to accomplish that was Carlos Delgado in 1999-2000.