Big Rally, Another Loss
Team Falters In Wild Care Drive
NEW YORK — Miguel Andujar’s drive sailed into the seats for a grand slam, and the crowd went crazy. But a furious rally quickly fizzled, and the questions remained for the New York Yankees.
CC Sabathia got clocked early and the Yankees, despite hitting four home runs during a late comeback, kept wobbling toward a playoff spot Saturday with an 8-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We have a group in there capable of turning this thing in a heartbeat,” manager Aaron Boone said, adding, “we’ve got to do better.”
New York began the day with a1 1⁄2- game lead over Oakland for the top AL wild card slot. The Yankees are just 6-7 this month and 8-10 over a longer stretch,
and still don’t have injured slugger Aaron Judge back in the starting lineup. They were 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
“It’s just kind of getting everyone clicking,” Boone said. “I feel like we’re getting closer to that.”
Didi Gregorius hit a solo homer with the Yankees down 5-0 in the sixth inning. It was 8-1 in the seventh before Gregorius and Giancarlo Stanton went deep and Andujar launched his slam.
Randal Grichuk hit two homers and doubled, and Kevin Pillar also connected as Toronto ended a four-game losing streak. The Blue Jays exhausted their bullpen, using seven pitchers to hold on.
Sean Reid-Foley (2-3) struck out 10, giving up singles in five shutout innings.
Ken Giles earned his 21st save, nine since being traded from Houston to Toronto. He struck out Gary Sanchez with a runner on second to finish the eighth and pitched a 1-2-3 ninth. On May 1 with the Astros, Giles allowed a tiebreaking, three-run homer to Sanchez and punched himself after he was removed from the game.
Stanton hit his 34th homer in the seventh. A batter later, Gregorius hit his 26th to break his own Yankees season record for home runs by a shortstop. Andujar’s second slam of his rookie season came against Tyler Clippard and made it a one-run game.
Sabathia walked off to boos down 5-0 after 2 1⁄ innings, matching his shortest outing since
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2015. The 38-year-old lefty has won only one of his last 11 starts.
“Just wasn’t sharp,” Sabathia said.
Boone said he’d feel confident putting Sabathia on the mound in a playoff game, especially if the 244-game winner can regain the touch with his cutter.
“Struggling to find that real good consistency,” Boone said.
Just in time?: Prized Yankees pitching prospect Justus Sheffield could be on the verge of getting his first promotion to the majors. The 22-year-old left-hander allowed three unearned runs and got three outs Saturday as Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lost to Durham in the deciding game of the International League playoff final.
Trainer’s room: Yankees: Injured closer Aroldis Chapman (left knee tendinitis) looked good in a pregame bullpen session , Boone said. The lefty, who hasn’t been in a game since Aug. 21, will next pitch in a simulated game, possibly on Monday. Judge (broken right wrist) might face Chapman in that workout. Judge returned to action Friday night against Toronto, playing two innings in right. He didn’t play Saturday and is being limited to defense and baserunning for now.
Up next: For the Yankees, RHP Lance Lynn (9-10, 5.01) pitches on seven days’ rest. The Yankees are 5-2 in his starts since they got him from Minnesota.