Dramatic win
Encarnacion delivers winning blow for Jays against Yankees
Edwin Encarnacion’s basesloaded single in the ninth inning gave the Toronto Blue Jays a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over New York Yankees on Sunday.
The Yankees, who had been shut out their three previous games, had gone ahead 3-2 after getting to Toronto closer Roberto Osuna for two runs in the ninth.
Melvin Upton Jr. walked to open the bottom of the ninth and moved to third on a Kevin Pillar single off Tyler Clippard (3-6). Upton scored on Ezequiel Carrera’s bunt with Clippard given an error on the play.
Devon Travis struck out and Josh Donaldson was walked intentionally to load the bases for Encarnacion.
Jose Bautista, whose threerun blast gave the Jays a 3-0 win Saturday, looked to have delivered the win with an RBI single in the eighth for a 2-1 lead.
But Osuna (3-2) gave up singles to Mark Teixeira and pinch-hitter Billy Butler to open the ninth. With one out, Mason Williams’ RBI single tied the game at 2-2. And the Yankees went ahead on Ronald Torreyes’ sacrifice fly.
Bautista opened the scoring with a solo homer in the fourth before a Rogers Centre capacity crowd of 47,896 with the lid open, the 38th sellout of the season.
Then he put Toronto ahead in the eighth with a single up the middle off six-foot-eight fireballer Dellin Betances, who was clocked at 101 m.p.h. during the inning. That scored Donaldson who had advanced to third on a walk, stolen base and Encarnacion groundout.
Didi Gregorius hit a solo homer to open the seventh, ending a 33-inning scoreless drought for the Yankees.
Toronto (86-69) has won five of six — and seven of 10 after a 3-9 start to September.
New York (79-76) has lost four straight and is 2-8 going into the series finale today, which marks the end of an 11game, 12-day road trip.
Also Sunday the AL Eastleading Red Sox stayed 5 1/2 games up on Toronto by beating Tampa 3-2 in 10 innings for their 11th straight win. Boston clinched a playoff berth with a win over the Rays on Saturday.