New York @ Toronto preview
Sahlen Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2021 ) NY Yankees 6, Toronto 5
The New York Yankees hope they are on the start of something good after their comeback win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Yankees, who had lost three in a row and seven of their previous nine games, overcame a three-run deficit to record a 6-5 victory on Tuesday. The American League East rivals continue their three-game series on Wednesday.
"The most important thing that we've done as a team is just stick together," said Clint Frazier, who had the go-ahead RBI double in the eighth inning. "Because inside that clubhouse, everyone that is in there, that's what matters."
The Yankees held Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a walk and a single in five plate appearances on Tuesday. Guerrero, who leads the majors with 22 home runs, had gone deep in four straight games.
The Yankees had solo homers from Gary Sanchez, Chris Gittens and Brett Gardner. It was the first major-league hit for Gittens.
The win allowed the Yankees to climb over the Blue Jays into third place in the AL East, but eight games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
The Blue Jays still have a 6-4 advantage in the season series with the Yankees.
New York general manager Brian Cashman addressed the team's struggles before the game Tuesday. Cashman said that he does not feel that manager Aaron Boone and his staff are the problem.
"Losing invites scrutiny on us all," Cashman said. "We are all in this together. We made this bed and we're going to sleep in it and make sure we find a way to fix this together."
Cashman said he is not interested in making an in-season move in regard to the coaching staff.
"We've had a lot of trials and tribulations and we've had roller-coaster rides," Cashman said. "We've had underperformance on the major-league roster from time to time and we've had a lot of success. We are in this together. It's the same coaching staff and the same manager that's had a lot of success here. Ultimately, we are charged with finding a way to fix what's ailing us and that responsibility is on me and I don't intend to let us fail."
The Yankees will send right-hander Gerrit Cole (7-3, 2.31 ERA) to the mound Wednesday night as they try to clinch a series victory.
Cole is well rested because of off days in the schedule Friday and Monday.
Cole owns a 1-0 record with a 2.38 ERA in two starts versus the Blue Jays this season. He is 4-0 with a 2.72 ERA in six career starts against them.
The Blue Jays will turn to right-hander Ross Stripling (2-3, 4.91) on Wednesday.
Stripling allowed three runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings to take the loss to New York on April 3. He is 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA in four career appearances (one start) against the Yankees.
The Blue Jays, who are 5-8 in one-run games, have been hampered by a struggling bullpen. The relievers allowed three runs on Tuesday, with Tim Mayza (1-1) taking the loss.
"This is what we've got, we're going to trust them," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. "This is what we've got. We've been in every game. Every game. The bullpen is just not doing the job."
The Blue Jays have dropped to 12-14 within the division.
"It's been frustrating because we have been playing good baseball," Montoyo said. "It's just that when your bullpen struggles, nothing is going to work."
--Field Level Media