Jays look to sweep Yankees in Sunday’s finale
Toronto won for a seventh straight game and for the 10th in their last 11. That includes big-time wins in the first two of this three-game series here in New York, and the results have been devastating to the Yankees.
Firstly, New York’s lead atop the division, a seven-game bulge just over a week ago, is down to 21⁄
2 games. Mostly, though, there’s a sledgehammer of a reality check for the New Yorkers: Toronto is the better team right now, no question.
These two rivals will play 11 more times before the season’s out, but right now the two — the only teams in MLB to score 500 or more runs — have battled it out in pitcher’s duels in the first two games of this series.
The Jays’ Justin Smoak broke open a 0-0 deadlock between Price and Yankees starter Ivan Nova with a grand slam in the sixth.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who is very judicious in pulling his starters, is probably kicking himself for leaving Nova in one batter too long on Saturday.
Coupled with Jose Bautista’s gamewinning homer in the10th in Friday’s 2-1 victory, this showdown series, while not a season-defining set just yet, is clearly out of hand for the Yankees.
The drive for the division title also starts with pitching. And the Jays, thanks to Price and the overall effect
“That’s what it boils down to — just go win, win today, don’t worry about tomorrow.” JAYS ACE DAVID PRICE
on the staff after that tremendous trade deadline in Toronto, have the weapons now to match up and conquer the league’s best clubs.
“I just made better pitches,” Price said in reference to the contrast between Saturday and his previous start against the Yankees.
“I was ahead in the count more often, and I was focused to make better pitches. That’s what it boils down to — just go win, win today, don’t worry about tomorrow, focus on today, the present, and the future will look good for this team.”
“I’m not a game plan guy. I don’t watch video, I don’t go over a game plan with the catcher, I don’t go to pitcher’s meetings. I pitch my game and make hitters adjust to me. I wanted to throw well today, and to me, it’s tougher to throw well when you’re team is doing well than it is when you’re trying to stop that losing streak. Good things are happening now and you want to continue in that direction.”
According to Elias Sports Bureau, Smoak’s grand slam was the first by a Blue Jay at Yankee Stadium.
Toronto goes for the three-game sweep in New York Sunday, something it hasn’t accomplished since June of 1992.