New York Yankees Recap: Tanaka Tenacious As Yankees Trip Toronto Again

With the playoff atmosphere continuing in the second game of the weekend series, the New York Yankees completed back to back wins over the Toronto Blue Jays with a 4-1 victory, behind a complete game victory by Masahiro Tanaka.
Once again, the two highest run scoring teams in MLB settled down for a pitcher´s duel. But it was Carlos Beltran who took over right where he left off on Friday night. He followed his difference-maker on Friday with a solo home run in the first inning off of Toronto starting pitcher Marco Estrada to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. It was home run number 12 for Beltran. Joe Girardi had Beltran in the three spot in the batting order with Alex Rodriguez getting the day off. [related category]
Jacoby Ellsbury glided into third base with a triple in the third with one out. Beltran also reached base on a walk to give the Yankees runners on first and third. With two out, Mark Teixeira hit a blooper to short right field that nearly dropped in, but he fell victim to the shift as the Yankees were retired.
Tanaka sailed along until the fifth. His curve was snapping off nicely and his slider was diving at the plate. His fastball was registering at 92 to 94 mph with good movement.

But he seemed to lose the plate momentarily in the fifth, allowing two walks and a single that loaded the bases for Toronto. After a Josh Donaldson sacrifice fly tied the score, Tanaka buckled down to retire Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion to escape without any further damage.
It was text message time in the sixth as Teixeira got the run right back with his 31st home run of the season. Teixeira had a half of a day off as the designated hitter. Gregory Bird filled in at first base. Bird just missed swatting the Yankees third home run on the day, but his drive was ruled foul.

Beltran continued his hot hitting with an eighth- inning double. Teixeira singled to increase the Yankees lead to 3-1. The run seemed to hush the Toronto fans, who came into the weekend thinking they had seized command of the American League East.

Bird followed Teixeira’s hit with a single of his own. It was his first major league hit, and it moved Teixeira to second. But Didi Gregorius stuck out to end the inning.

The Yankees played small-ball in the ninth. John Ryan Murphy doubled. Stephen Drew moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. A clutch Ellsbury single brought Murphy home to put the Yankees up 4-1.

Tanaka and Murphy raced out of the dugout in the bottom of the ninth. Masahiro glared in at Toronto hitters and snarled as he got the final out. He allowed just five hits in the complete game victory.

Masahiro Tanaka became the first pitcher to throw a 9.0 inning complete game shutout at the Rogers Centre since Andy Pettitte on April 22, 1998.

The Yankees have no regained a 1.5 game lead on the Blue Jays for first place atop the AL East.

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