BETANCES IMPLODES RELIEVER AWFUL AGAIN AS BANGED-UP YANKS LOSE FIRST

Betances struggles again, hands Yankees first loss

TORONTO — Dellin Betances’ winter workouts were designed to keep him away from the late-season fades he experienced the past two Septembers.

Saturday against the Blue Jays, in the third game of the season, Betances spoiled a two-homer game from Tyler Austin and five solid innings from CC Sabathia with a nightmarish eighth inning that resulted in the Yankees dropping a 5-3 decision to the Blue Jays in front of 37,692 at Rogers Centre.

Nevertheless, Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman and Betances didn’t have an octave of concern in their voices following the first Yankees loss of the season that landed on the four-time All Star reliever.

Yet, watching Yangervis Solarte crush a 2-0 fastball for a homer leading off the eighth and then following Kevin Pillar stealing second, third and home was hard to watch. Especially disturbing was Betances stepping off the rubber to throw home but bouncing it in front of catcher Gary Sanchez and wide of the plate as Pillar scored an insurance run.

“I am close to ‘D,’ that’s my little brother, and I always want him to pitch well,’’ Sabathia said of Betances, who gave up a solo homer to Pillar on Opening Day. “He is going through a tough time right now. I feel like he will be fine.’’

Actually, Betances doesn’t feel all that bad because the problems he has had in two games don’t mirror what he went through late last year.

“Last year I was walking a lot of guys,’’ Betances said. “This year I am throwing strikes.’’

The wave of injuries the Yankees experienced in spring training continues to wash over them. With Aaron Judge playing center field for the first time his career, Billy McKinney was forced out of the game in the first inning after banging the left (throwing) shoulder into the left field wall. He suffered an AC sprain and was placed on the disabled list. Reliever Adam Warren took a ball off the right ankle and had to leave the game in

the sixth. He said his ankle was swollen as he left the clubhouse.

Brought into the game in the seventh with the score tied, 3-3, Betances got help from Sanchez, who threw out Curtis Granderson attempting to steal second, then retired Justin Smoak, who had three hits and two RBIs off Sabathia, on a comebacker to the mound. The eighth was different. “Little frustrated,’’ Betances said.” I fell behind Solarte and he put a good swing on it. It was a mistake to Pillar, I had him 0-2.’’

As for the wild throw home, Betances admitted his throw was a killer.

“That’s a big mistake there, can’t do that,’’ Betances said of Pillar scoring an insurance run. Betances said stepping off was better than following through with the pitch. “I have to keep the game closer with the hitters we have.’’

Austin, who was optioned to the minors March 21 and brought back eight days later when Greg Bird went down, tied the score, 2-2, in the fifth off Marco Estrada and reached the facing above the second deck in left in the seventh that knotted the score, 3-3.

Betances giving up the homer to Solarte, the inability to hold Pillar to a base and the wild throw home were the main ingredients of the loss. Nevertheless, one of the two runs Sabathia gave up was because of a throwing error by third baseman Brandon Drury in the third inning.

As for Sabathia, he had two clean innings out of the five and was appreciative that Boone allowed him to start the fifth with the score tied, 2-2, and the top of the Blue Jays’ lineup ready to hit.

“It meant a lot. They put together some good at-bats the whole game, fouling off some pitches,’’ said Sabathia, who walked Josh Donaldson with one out and gave up a single to Smoak. The switch-hitting Solarte was next and Sabathia fed him a 5-4-3 double play to get out of the jam.

Betances, however, couldn’t duplicate that feat in the eighth.