Judge jolts Blue Jays in extras
NEW YORK 3 TORONTO 0
TORONTO — Kevin Pillar wasn’t making excuses after another loss for the scuffling Blue Jays Wednesday night.
The Toronto centre-fielder, speaking to media after a 3-0 defeat against the New York Yankees in 13 innings, said the Blue Jays’ 26-35 record is an accurate representation of how his team has played this season.
“We don’t deserve better,” Pillar said sternly. “If you want to deserve better you go out and earn it.”
“They say over the course of the year things even out, but they really don’t,” he said. “Our record is what our record is.”
Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the 13th inning after a masterful outing from Sonny Gray and the Yankees bullpen to sweep the two-game series against division rivals.
Brett Gardner started the rally with a one-out single off Joe Biagini (0-5) before Judge launched his 17th of the season beyond the centre-field fence. Giancarlo Stanton, who had been serenaded with chants of “over-rated” from a vocal pocket of fans at Rogers Centre, followed with a solo shot.
Aroldis Chapman earned the save, working around a one-out double from Kendrys Morales in the bottom of the 13th.
The Blue Jays have lost seven straight divisional games to fall to 8-17 against AL East opponents this year. The team has also lost 10 of its last 11 home games and 17 of 22 overall.
“It’s not a position we want to find ourselves in but it’s the reality of the situation,” Pillar said. “We just gotta figure out a way to claw ourselves out of this.”
Gray was one of the main reasons for Toronto’s struggles Wednesday night.
The Yankees right-hander pitched twohit ball through eight scoreless frames, striking out eight and walking two over a 99-pitch effort. He retired 12 straight before a leadoff double from Justin Smoak in the fifth, and sent down 10 consecutive batters to end his night.
“He was attacking the zone and he was throwing a couple different pitches for strikes,” Pillar said. “That’s kinda the recipe to be successful in the big leagues.”
Chad Green, Dellin Betances and David Robertson also pitched scoreless innings of relief for New York (40-18).
The Blue Jays spoiled a solid outing from right-hander Sam Gaviglio, who allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out four over seven innings.
Gaviglio, in his fourth start since being recalled from Triple-A last month, didn’t surrender a hit until the fourth inning of the pitcher’s duel. He had retired a string of six straight batters before a two-out double from Gary Sanchez and capped his night by retiring seven in a row.
“I’m taking it one game at a time, not trying to do too much,” Gaviglio said. “Trusting what I’ve got, I think that’s a big thing. A little frustrated with some walks today but I was able to get through.”
Astros 7, Mariners 5
HOUSTON — Evan Gattis hit a two-run homer early and Yuli Gurriel added a two RBI single in a four-run seventh inning that lifted the Houston Astros to a 7-5 win over the Seattle Mariners.
The victory ends a three-game skid for Houston and snaps a five-game winning streak by the Mariners.
The Astros led 3-1 after four, but had fallen behind 4-3 entering the seventh after the Mariners got a run in sixth and tacked on two more in the seventh.
Tony Kemp, who finished with three hits, got things going in the seventh with a single off Juan Nicasio (1-3) before a double by George Springer.