Tanaka strikes out 15 as Yanks beat Jays 4-0

NEW YORK — Masahiro Tanaka walked off the mound and tipped his cap to fans after one of his most dominant performances since signing with the New York Yankees in January 2014.

He struck out 15 over seven innings, his highest total since coming to the major leagues, allowed three hits and walked none to lead the playoff-bound New York Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 Friday and keep New York on the edge of contention in the AL East.

Tanaka (13-12) had five outings in which he gave up seven or eight runs, but also had eight in which he allowed one run or none. He finished with a 4.74 ERA and yielded 35 homers — 10 more than his previous major league high.

“I knew that I needed to be aggressive,” he said. “Maybe I was lacking it a little bit.”

Already assured no worse than hosting a wild-card game against Minnesota, New York began the day three games behind AL Eastleading Boston with three games left.

Tanaka retired his first 14 batters before Ezequiel Carerra reached on an infield single up the middle just past Tanaka’s glove. Second baseman Starlin Castro made a backhand stop with a dive and threw off-balance from his knees, but Carerra easily beat a one-hop throw.

Pitching on six days’ rest, Tanaka dominated a team that battered him for eight runs and three homers at Toronto on Sept. 22. He allowed three hits and walked none.

“You can’t pick up that split,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “Boom! It just drops.”

The Yankees and Blue Jays meet again both today and Sunday.