Taillon, Hicks lead Yankees to ninth consecutive victory
TORONTO >> Jameson Taillon and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, Aaron Hicks lined a threerun double and the visiting New York Yankees extended their winning streak to nine by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 Saturday afternoon.
Taillon (8-1) allowed four hits and struck out eight in 5 2-3 innings to win his eighth straight decision.
“It just seems like every day we show up, we expect to find a way to win that night,” Taillon said. “There's a confidence within the group that we're going to find a way to do it.”
Michael King worked two innings and Clay Holmes got the final four outs.
Holmes made his 29th consecutive scoreless relief appearance, breaking Mariano Rivera's 1999 team record.
“He's a guy that I grew up watching,” Holmes said of Rivera. “Just to be in the same category for this one little thing he's done is pretty cool.”
Holmes has pitched 31 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest active streak in the majors this season.
The Yankees threw their 11th shutout of the season and improved to a major league-best 49-16.
“Just another really good win by the guys doing it in a lot of different ways,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Toronto put runners at second and third with one out in the second inning, but Taillon retired the next eight batters in a row.
Boone said he believed Taillon deserves All-Star consideration for his strong start to 2022.
“You look up at the scoreboard or pick up a stat sheet or look at any number you want,” Boone said. He's been great.”
Taillon hasn't been acting like someone who expects to join the AL's best in Los Angeles next month.
“I already booked some All-Star plans,” he said. “I don't know if I'm really expecting it or not, but it would definitely be a cool honor.”
Alek Manoah (8-2) lost for the first time in 16 career home starts. He came in 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA in four career starts against New York, but allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five.
Anthony Rizzo drew a one-out walk in the Yankees fourth, Gleyber Torres followed with a single and, after Joey Gallo struck out, Isiah Kiner-Falefa beat out an infield hit to load the bases for Hicks, who doubled to right.
For Hicks, it was his first extra-base hit in a basesloaded situation in more than five years, and the Blue Jays were the opponent the previous time he did it. Hicks, out of Long Beach Wilson High, had a careerbest six RBIs as the Yankees won 12-2 in Toronto on June 1, 2017.
The Yankees had an 11game winning streak from April 22 to May 3. That run ended with a loss to lefthander Yusei Kikuchi in Toronto.