Yankees overpower Jays
Stanton hits tiebreaking grand slam as New York gets eighth win in 10 games
Giancarlo Stanton hit a loud tiebreaking grand slam in the third inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-3, on Sunday for their eighth win in 10 games to start the season.
Stanton gave the Yankees a 5-1 lead by with a 417-foot drive off of Bowden Francis (0-2) that clanked against the facing of an advertisement below the second deck in left field. Stanton fell behind 0-2 in the count before turning on a 2-2 inside fastball and driving the ball 110.6 m.p.h. for his 11th career slam, his first since September 2022. He took a couple of steps as he watched the ball, then flipped his bat.
Stanton also homered Saturday in a three-hit game that followed a 3-for-24 start.
The Yankees have won their first three series and are off to their best 10-game start since 2020.
Anthony Volpe had three singles and stole two bases in the eighth before scoring on a base hit by Oswaldo Cabrera. Juan Soto added a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
New York starter Luis Gil walked Alejandro Kirk with the bases loaded in the third and Anthony Rizzo preceded Stanton’s drive with a tying walk.
Jake Cousins (1-0) got his first Yankees win and first major-league victory since 2022, allowing an unearned run in the fifth on Bo Bichette’s RBI double.
Manoah rehab
Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah was happy with his first minorleague rehab start despite an ugly line because his right shoulder felt healthy.
Manoah walked his first four batters and wound up allowing seven runs over 1 ⅔ innings for Single A Dunedin against Lakeland in a Florida State League game Sunday.
The 26-year old felt right shoulder discomfort following a spring training start on Feb. 27 and threw simulated games March 27 and April 2.
“I don’t care about the numbers,” Manoah said.
“I felt really good. Everything was coming out really good. I feel like we were around the zone for the most part. But I think the biggest thing is the body felt good, velo was good, (pitches had) movement. So, just got to continue to feel good and continue to attack.”
Manoah gave up five hits, four walks and struck out four. He threw 32 balls among his 56 pitches.