Donaldson goes deep twice in victory
Osuna rebounds from rough outing for 29th save
Josh Donaldson did pretty well everything on Tuesday night at the Rogers Centre but sing the national anthems.
The Bringer of Rain smashed a pair of two- run home runs, reached first on an error and made a solid defensive play to lead the Blue Jays to a 4-2 victory over AL East rivals the New York Yankees.
It was the 12th time in his career that Donaldson posted a multihomer game and the second time this year ( both against the Yankees, the last time on June 2). His second homer was also his second career home run on a 3- 0 count. He also made a fine defensive play in the fourth, snagging a hard line drive hit by Todd Frazier for the third out in the fourth.
Both homers came off New York starter CC Sabathia, who was chased out of the game after just three innings and four runs.
Donaldson has now accumulated 11 extra base hits ( five doubles, six homers) over his last 19 games.
Left- hander J. A. Happ picked up the win for the second straight start, limiting the Yankees to one run and four hits in 5.2 innings before being relieved by Dominic Leone in the sixth.
Toronto closer Roberto Osuna, who blew Sunday’s game for the Jays by giving up four runs from five hits and in two- thirds of an inning against the Astros, came in to face the top of the Yankees’ order in the ninth, getting Brett Gardner to line out to short, pinch-hitter Jacoby Ellsbury to pop out to second, and rookie phenom Aaron Judge to pop up to first for the save, his 29th of the season.
Donaldson’s two- run slam in the first, with Bautista on third, gave the Jays a 2- 0 lead, and they could have had more as Pillar grounded out to first to end the inning with runners at second and third.
The Yankees managed three hits off Happ in the second, but scored only one run, with first baseman Garrett Cooper hitting a single to right to score Chase Headley from third.
Donaldson’s second bash came in the third, this time with Russell Martin on base. He deposited a Sabathia offering to left field.
The Yankees threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with two out before Leone got first baseman Garrett Cooper to pop up to shallow right to end the inning with no runs scored.
The Yankees added one off reliever Ryan Tepera in the eighth, but it could have been much worse. Cooper, who went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, hit a fly ball deep to left to score Gary Sanchez from third with the bases loaded. Tepera, who hit two batters and walked another that inning, got Ronald Torreyes to line out to centre to end the inning.