Tanaka Returns and Yankees Make History In Victory

Today was good start and tomorrow is more important. Masahiro Tanaka made his first start since July 8 after being diganosed with a partially torn UCL in his elbow and didn’t miss a beat going 5.1 innings, striking out four and allowing a run as the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 5-2 and take three out of four in the series. How Tanaka feels tomorrow is very important.

Jose Reyes and Jose Bautista singled off Tanaka to start the game. Edwin Encarnacion would ground into a double play, but Reyes would score to make it 1-0.

The Yankees responded in the bottom half of the frame when Brian McCann hit his 21st homer of the year off Drew Hutchinson to tie it.

The Yankees would make history in the bottom half of the fifth. Brett Gardner would hit his 17th homer of the year and the 15,000th homer in Yankee history. The Yankees are the first team ever to hit 15,000 homers.

The Yankees would extend their lead off Todd Redmond in the seventh. Gardner and Derek Jeter hit back to back doubles. McCann then hit his second homer of the game.

The Jays would make it 5-2 in the eighth when Reyes singled, stole two bases and scored on Encarnacion’s single.

The Yanks begin their last home series of the season against the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow night at 7:05. Wei-Yin Chen will face Michael Pineda.