PLAY IT SAFE NO CHAMPAGNE
MLB MUST MAKE EXTRA NETTING MANDATORY TANAKA SHELLED, PLAYOFF CLINCH PUT ON HOLD
TORONTO — The Yankees’ only losing record against an AL East team is to the worst one.
Before an 8-1 loss to the last-place Blue Jays on Friday night in front of 42,153 at Rogers Centre, the Yankees continued to talk about moving past the Red Sox and win the AL East title. Afterward, the talk still centered on that, even if they are quickly running out of track. Because the Red Sox beat the Reds, the AL East leaders hiked their cushion over the Yankees to four lengths with nine games remaining.
While Masahiro Tanaka wasn’t good and the main reason the Yankees’ three-game winning streak ended with a thud, others contributed. Starlin Castro’s first-inning error led to an unearned run that negated Aaron Judge’s first-inning homer to left that measured 469 feet. Todd Frazier got tricked by Blue Jays shortstop Ryan Goins, who faked throwing the ball to the mound only to hide the ball in his glove and tag Frazier at second when the Yankee’s foot came off the bag for a nano-second.
“Those are mental mistakes and they do bother you. Todd thought both feet were on the base and they weren’t. We had a lead going into [the bottom of the first] inning and we gave that run up,’’ Joe Girardi said. “Those things can’t happen. We need to clean that up.’’
Tanaka could use some sharpening on his splitter and slider. He gave up a solo homer to Teoscar Hernandez in the first, a two-run home run to Russell Martin in the fourth and a grand slam to Goins, the No. 9 hitter in the sixth, when the Blue Jays put the game away. Goins had been 0-for-22 against Tanaka and was in a 0-2 hole.
“I had all the confidence in the world going with the slider,’’ said Tanaka (12-12), who gave up eight runs, six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. “It didn’t come out of the hand right and it ended up being a home run.’’
While Tanaka hiked his season home run total to 35, Toronto starter Marco Estrada (10-8) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings.
“He was really good. He had command of his change-up,’’ said Castro, who went 0-for-4. “He threw it in any count and didn’t take nothing for granted.’’
Eventually, the Yankees are going to settle into the top AL wild-card spot, which means they will host a one-game playoff on Oct. 3.
When they do, playing better than they did Friday night will be a must.
After Judge’s 46th homer, which moved him to within three of Mark McGwire’s all-time record for a rookie, the Yankees failed to take advantage of the few chances Estrada provided.
Todd Frazier opened the third with a double before being caught off the bag for the third out. Judge, who went 2-for-2 with two walk, drew a four-pitch walk to start the fourth and never left first base. Consecutive twoout walks to Todd Frazier and Clint Frazier in the fifth were negated by Jacoby Ellsbury’s fly ball to left. Judge doubled starting the sixth, but Estrada retired Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius and Castro.
“We have to find ways to win games, tip your hat to the pitcher,’’ Todd Frazier said.
When the Yankees get eliminated in the AL East race, they won’t have to look hard for a reason. They are 12-7 against the Orioles, 11-8 against the Red Sox and 10-6 against the Rays. Yet, the Yankees are 6-8 against the cellar-dwelling Blue Jays.
What that means on Oct. 3 remains to be seen, but a better ledger against the Blue Jays would have made finishing ahead of the Red Sox a stronger possibility.