Bautista, Stroman combine to help Jays blank Yankees again

TORONTO — Jose Bautista provided the offence with an eighthinning home run and Blue Jays pitchers stymied the Yankees for the second day in a row as Toronto blanked New York 3-0 on Saturday.

For seven innings, the game was a pitching duel between Toronto’s Marcus Stroman and New York’s C.C. Sabathia before a Rogers Centre sellout of 47,828, with the roof open on a pleasant 17 C day.

Yankees third baseman Ronald Torreyes slammed a two-out triple to right field in the eighth, but reliever Jason Grilli (7-5) snuffed out the threat, striking out pinchhitter Billy Butler with a 94 mile-per-hour fastball after a seven-pitch at bat that had the crowd on its feet.

Josh Donaldson ripped a twoout single to left field off Tyler Clippard (3-5) in the eighth and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Edwin Encarnacion walked, Bautista drove a ball over the leftfield fence for his 20th homer of the season.

Roberto Osuna pitched the ninth for his 35th save of the season. Toronto outhit New York 6-3.

It was the fourth win in five games for Toronto (85-69).

The Yankees (79-75) were shut out for the third game in row and have now lost seven straight in Rogers Centre.

Kansas City did Toronto a favour earlier Saturday in the wild-card race, rallying for five runs in the ninth to defeat Detroit 7-4. Baltimore, another wild card contender, played Arizona in an evening start.

Boston, which held a 5.5-game lead over Toronto in the AL East going into Saturday’s schedule, also played later at Tampa.

Helped by two double plays and a runner caught stealing by Toronto catcher Dioner Navarro, Stroman faced just one over the minimum 21 batters in seven innings work. The Yankees managed just three baserunners during that stretch: on three walks and a single.

Stroman, who gave way to Grilli, limited the Yankees to one hit with three walks and five strikouts in a smooth 97-pitch performance featuring 59 strikes.

Sabathia also had some help. The Jays hit into double plays in both the first and second innings.

The veteran left-hander limited Toronto hitters to four hits over seven innings with three walks and two strikeouts.

Bautista’s second-inning double extended his season-high on-base streak to 31 games. Encarnacion’s fourth-inning single was his 153rd hit of the season, a career high. He has already set career highs this season for RBIs and runs scored.

Both are in the last year of their contracts.

MINNESOTA 3 SEATTLE 2

MINNEAPOLIS — Miguel Sano hit a tiebreaking homer in the bottom of the fourth inning and Tyler Duffey pitched seven strong innings for his best start in more than a month as the Minnesota Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Saturday.

Duffey (9-11) gave up the two runs and four hits while striking out four. Sano’s 24th homer, a solo shot, followed Nelson Cruz’s tying two-run shot for Seattle in the top of the fourth.

Jorge Polanco also had a solo home run for Minnesota, which snapped a seven-game losing streak. Brandon Kintzler got the last three outs for his 15th save in 18 chances.

Ariel Miranda (5-2) lost for the first time in five starts this month, lasting four innings and giving up three runs and three hits.