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 Right-hander Marco Estrada allowed three singles in 6 1/3 innings
while third baseman Josh Donaldson and right fielder Jose Bautista
hit long solo home runs as Toronto completed its first sweep at
Yankee Stadium in over 12 years with a 2-0 victory over the New York
Yankees.
"Oh yeah, we got some good players out there," Toronto manager John
Gibbons said. "No doubt, there's a couple of big additions but
there's some pretty good ones too."
Playing their biggest series in New York after the All-Star break
since August 1993, the Blue Jays (61-52) ran their winning streak to
eight games, won for the 11th time in 12 games and inched to within
1 1/2 games of the Yankees (61-49) with 10 games remaining in the
season series.
"Right now you're just trying to win series," Donaldson said. "But
when you come in and win the first two, your goal is the win the
next game.
"This was definitely an important series for us because it was a
game that can immediately get you back in the standings without
having to rely on other teams and I think like we did a good job
executing all series."
Estrada (10-6) helped the Blue Jays get their first series sweep in
New York since May 22-25, 2003, when Roy Halladay, Kelvim Escobar,
Cory Lidle and Doug Davis were winning pitchers.
He also helped Toronto complete consecutive shutouts of the Yankees
for the first time in team history.
While Estrada only allowed singles to right fielder Carlos Beltran
in the second, shortstop Didi Gregorius in the third and third
baseman Chase Headley in the seventh, Toronto's powerful offense
struck with two long swings off right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (8-5).
"We held them to whatever it was, a run or whatever and our offense
did the rest," Estrada said. "I know we didn't score too much in two
games. We did just enough to win.
"We knew it was going to be a battle, two really good lineups and
good pitching staffs and we just came out on top."
SCORELESS STREAK
Donaldson homered on right-hander Tanaka's seventh pitch of the
game, sending a first-pitch fastball into the Yankee bullpen beyond
the right-center field wall. Donaldson's 31st home was also his
fourth home run in an opening inning in the last week and 19th that
gave the Blue Jays a lead.
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Two days after hitting the tiebreaking in the 10th off rookie
Branden Pinder, Bautista hit his 26th home run with one out in the
fourth. He waited slightly longer than Donaldson in his at-bat,
driving a 1-0 fastball to left field off an advertisement in front
of the second deck.
After landing in the seats, a fan threw the ball back and it hit
left fielder Brett Gardner in the head.
Estrada turned in his third scoreless start of the year and exited
with two on in the seventh. LaTroy Hawkins recorded the final two
outs of the seventh, Aaron Sanchez stranded a runner in the eighth
and Roberto Osuna tossed a hitless ninth for his 10th save in 11
opportunities.
"(The) whole series, starters and relievers were outstanding,"
Bautista said. "So it's exciting to see."
Tanaka allowed two runs and three hits in six innings as New York
lost for the fourth time in five games and have lost 5 1/2 games off
their lead since July 27.
It is the first time the Yankees have held less than a two-game lead
since July 7.
"This isn't going to be comfortable the rest of the way," Teixeira
said. "We have to fight for every win and that's what we expect
every single game going forward."
The Yankees have four runs since Tuesday's 13-3 win over the Boston
Red Sox and went scoreless over the final 26 innings after first
baseman Mark Teixeira homered off R.A. Dickey in the second inning
on Friday.
It also marked the first time since May 12-13, 1999, against the Los
Angeles Angels that New York were blanked in consecutive games and
the first time since April 28-29, 1992, against Texas the Yankees
were held to three hits or less in consecutive games.
It also is New York's longest scoreless streak since going 32
innings without a run in 1991, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"We just haven't been hitting," New York catcher Brian McCann said.
"It happens."
(Compiled by Peter Rutherford)
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