Recap: Yankees Drop Season Opening Series in 6-3 Loss

Despite a pair of solo home runs from Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, the New York Yankees fell to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3, dropping their first series of season.

In a game highlighted by the return of C.C. Sabathia and the debut of rookie sensation Daniel Norris, the story of the night was the Yankees offense failing once again.

The Yankees had runners on second and third two times in the ball game, and left them stranded. As a matter of fact, the Yankees finished the ball game 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and 3-for-21 through their first three games of the 2015 season.

The Blue Jays managed to get on scoreboard the early. After a flawless 1-2-3 first inning for veteran C.C. Sabathia, he coughed up four runs on five hits that dug the Yankees into an early 4-0 deficit.

But before we jump on the left-hander and ridicule him in the media, it’s important to note that Sabathia actually looked better than the numbers indicated. The big lefty threw his fastball in the 88-90 mph range and also had some good downward tilt on his slider. He struck out eight and walked none in 5.2 innings pitched.

The highlight of the night was Alex Rodridguez. In the sixth-inning, after walking up to the plate to the tune of Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, he turned on a 1-0 fastball from Daniel Norris and sent the ball sailing into the left field stands. The homer cut the Blue Jays lead to 5-2, but more importantly it was Rodriguez’s 655th career home run, putting him five shy of tying Willie Mays at No. 4 on the all-time home run list.

First basemen Mark Teixeira immediately followed Rodriguez’s long ball with a home run of his own, making it 5-3 Toronto, but that would be the last run the Yankees would score. On a quick side not, the home-run marked Teixeira’s 1000th career run scored.

Lost in all of this was an impressive night at the plate for backup catcher J.R. Murphy, who wen’t 2-for-4 with two doubles and one run scored on a Didi Gregorius RBI earlier in the game. Of course this RBI was followed up by another base running error by the Yankees new shortstop, as Gregorius was gunned out at first base after making too wide a turn on the same RBI single. The Yankees had just one out when he was tagged out.

One interesting takeaway from this game happened in the sixth inning when, with two outs, Right fielder Chris Young was hit by a pitch and John Ryan Murphy recorded his second double. With runners on second and third, two outs and the Yankees down 5-3, skipper Joe Girardi tried to instill some confidence in the struggling Stephen Drew by pinch-hitting him for Gregorio Petit. Of course Drew struck out looking to end the inning, but this was certainly a bold move that won’t go unnoticed. Why not pinch-hit Brian McCann or Brett Gardner in that situation and than call upon Stephen Drew as a defensive replacement after the inning? Not sure what Girardi was thinking, but I’m sure there’s a method to his madness.

Anyway, up next for the New York Yankees is a three-game series at home with the Boston Rex Sox. Nathan Eovaldi will make his Yankees debut  v. left-hander Wade Miley on Friday night at 7:05 pm.

Be sure to check out host Ricky Keeler and his Yanks Go Yard preview of their upcoming series with their AL East Foes. You can listen by following the link (here).