Nobody did.
Instead, McCann was able to discuss his most productive night as a
New York Yankee.
The catcher tied a career high with five RBIs by hitting a two-run
home run in the fourth inning and a bases-clearing triple in the
seventh as the Yankees extended their home winning streak over the
Toronto Blue Jays to 15 games with a 7-3 victory Wednesday.
"Tonight was a good night," McCann said. "It was about time I
chipped in, and tonight was a good night to do that."
New York manager Joe Girardi said, "We really believe in him as an
offensive force, and he showed it tonight."
McCann had no had more than three RBIs in his first 63 games as a
Yankee, and he took a 4-for-30 slump into Wednesday. He wound up
with his sixth five-RBI game and his first since July 18, 2010, at
Milwaukee for the Atlanta Braves.
"We'd all like to have a type of game like he had tonight," said
Gardner, the Yankees left fielder who went 4-for-5.
McCann's first two RBIs put the Yankees ahead for good against
Toronto left-hander Mark Buehrle (10-4). McCann fouled off four
consecutive pitches before he ended a 10-pitch at-bat by lining a
2-2 curveball over the right field wall.
After hitting his eighth home run and first in 74 at-bats since May
23, the catcher hit a sinking liner against lefty reliever Brett
Cecil that center fielder Colby Rasmus could not get to in time.
That turned into his third career triple and first since June 6,
2009.
"Just the fact that I wasn't really contributing, it was on my mind
more than that," McCann said. "I've been grinding in the cage,
working, and a couple of things felt good the last game and I was
able to carry it into tonight."
McCann and Gardner were not the only Yankees to contribute on a
night when the team had 11 hits and won for the sixth time in eight
games. Right fielder Alfonso Soriano hit an RBI single, and Ichiro
Suzuki preceded McCann's triple with a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk.
"Unbelievable," New York starter Chase Whitley said. "You expect
that from him. He's a great player."
Whitley (3-0) won his third consecutive start by allowing two runs
and five hits in five innings. He threw a career-high 95 pitches
before four New York relievers combined to close out the win.
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Toronto catcher Dioner Navarro and center fielder Colby Rasmus hit
RBI singles off Whitley, and right fielder Jose Bautista added an
RBI double for the Blue Jays, who lost for the eighth time in 11
games. Toronto also lost third baseman Brett Lawrie to a left hand
injury after he was hit by a pitch. Lawrie is listed as day-to-day.
Buehrle dropped his ninth straight decision to the Yankees and third
in a row overall, allowing three runs (two earned) and six hits in
six innings.
"I feel like overall, I pitched pretty good," Buehrle said. "I gave
up a flyball to right field that's a two-run homer and we lose the
game. Same thing as yesterday -- a little 318-foot flyball that ends
up going out. It's frustrating when you come out and battle, tonight
and last night, and pretty much it's two losses on that short porch
in right field."
NOTES: New York LHP CC Sabathia threw his second bullpen session
before the game and reported no difficulties. Sabathia, out since
May 11 with an inflamed right knee, is scheduled to throw another
bullpen session, although there is no set timetable for his return.
... Toronto 1B/DH Adam Lind was held out of the lineup for the third
consecutive game with a bruised right foot. The disabled list is not
a consideration just yet for Lind, who spent three weeks there
earlier this season due to a back injury. ... According to the Blue
Jays, Tuesday marked the 12th time a Toronto hitter has hit a home
run on the first pitch of a game. SS Jose Reyes, OFs Devon White and
Alex Rios are the only players to do it multiple times since pitch
counts began getting recorded in 1988. ... Before the game, Yankees
manager Joe Girardi talked about tobacco usage in the wake of Tony
Gwynn's death on Monday from oral cancer. "I think you express
concerns with all the health things that guys put in their mouth,
the repetition and how often they're doing it," he said. "These are
grown men and I have to be careful about what I talk about and what
I don't talk about, in a sense. I did talk to my son about (it) and
encouraged him to never do it because it is dangerous."
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