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 The Blue Jays fit the description Friday night and Martin had a big
hand in their latest win, getting two home runs and four RBIs in a
11-5 victory over the New York Yankees.
Martin began the game hitless in 12 at-bats and struck out during
Toronto's five-run first when third baseman Josh Donaldson and first
baseman Justin Smoak sandwiched two-run homers around an RBI single
by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
"We definitely feed off one another," Martin said after getting four
RBIs for the 14th time in his career. "Our lineup has a lot of
depth. I don't think pitchers feel they have breathing room out
there. It's just one after another, good quality at-bats."
Martin snapped his slump with an RBI single that chased rookie
right-hander Luis Severino (3-3) with one out in the third. He began
his 10th career multi-homer game by opening the fifth with a homer
off Andrew Bailey into the visiting bullpen beyond the left-center
field wall and concluded his second multi-homer game of the year
with two-run drive.
"You just want to join the party," Martin said. You just want to go
out there and have a good at-bat."
Martin's big night was part of Toronto's 23rd game reaching
double-digit runs and the third game this season the Blue Jays had
five home runs.
It also was Toronto's third game with five homers in New York and
the first in nearly six years as the Blue Jays opened a season-high
2-1/2 game lead in the American League Central.
Martin's first home run came after designated hitter Edwin
Encarnacion hit a long homer into the second deck. His second one
came after shortstop Didi Gregorius turned a 9-2 game into a
four-run game with a three-run homer off LaTroy Hawkins in the
sixth.
"He's been through it so many time," Toronto manager John Gibbons
said. "That kind of thing doesn't surprise me. He's got good power
and he was due to heat up."
While the Toronto offense was getting 16 hits, its best production
in New York since Sept. 22, 2007, and getting multi-hit performances
from their first seven hitters, the Yankees lost their third
straight. They ended a 28-inning scoreless drought against the Blue
Jays at home when left fielder Brett Gardner lifted a sacrifice fly
off left-hander David Price (15-5) in the fourth.
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Gregorius had the other run off Price on a night when designated
hitter Alex Rodriguez struck out four times for the sixth time in
his career and heard some boos after his last one.
The five-run inning gave Price some significant breathing room after
he labored at times. Price improved to 6-1 with Toronto, allowing
two runs and six hits in five innings while throwing 96 pitches.
"They always swing the bats really well," Price said. "They have a
good approach. They know what they're doing. It was good to have
those first five runs before I threw a pitch."
Price had his five-run lead quickly.
Donaldson hit a full-count fastball to left field off Severino
before an out was made. After Donaldson's 38th home run of the
season, Encarnacion scored on Tulowitzki's single to left and Smoak
capped the inning by pulling a 1-2 fastball over the right field
fence for his 15th home run of the year.
"You put up five in the first, that makes you feel a lot better,"
Gibbons said.
The big inning was part of Severino's shortest outing of the season
since joining the Yankees. He was tagged for six runs and six hits
in 2 1/3 innings.
"I wasn't commanding my pitches," Severino said. "When you make good
pitches, you have good results."
NOTES: The Yankees announced 1B Mark Teixeira's season is over after
an MRI exam discovered a fracture in his right leg. Teixeira was
placed on the disabled list last Friday after initially getting
injured Aug. 17. He will need at least three months to fully
recover. ... Toronto manager John Gibbons said Dioner Navarro would
catch RHP Marco Estrada in the opener and Russell Martin would catch
RHP Marcus Stroman in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader. ...
New York manager Joe Girardi said RHP Michael Pineda will start the
first game and RHP Ivan Nova the second game. ... Gibbons said
rookie 2B Devon Travis (left shoulder) has made incremental progress
by taking dry swings. He has missed 75 games during two stints on
the disabled list with shoulder injuries.
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