Terrific Tanaka shuts out Blue Jays
The message on the white grease board inside the Blue Jays clubhouse read: “Hitting Optional.” Manager John Gibbons likely meant that to be for the pre-game. But the Jays’ optional hitting carried over into their matinee with the Yankees, as Masahiro Tanaka retired the first 14 hitters he faced and struck out 15 over seven innings in New York’s 4-0 win.
Tanaka struck out 10 of the first 14 Jays, before Ezequiel Carrera reached base on an infield hit, with second baseman Starlin Castro diving to stop the ball, but unable to make a throw. Carrera stole second then was picked off by Tanaka.
“Tanaka is always tough on us,” Gibbons said. “Last time we saw him in Toronto, we had the big home run by (Ryan) Goins to win that game. He was as good as you can be today.”
The 15 strikeouts were a career high for the Yankee right-hander, who was staked to a quick lead.
Jays right-hander Joe Biagini, making his 17th start of the season and his first at Yankee Stadium, loaded the bases on a pair of hits and a walk, then allowed the first run on a Castro infield single. Biagini stood with the ball in his hand looking like he had already lost as a clearly miffed Gibbons strode purposefully to the top of the mound.
With the full infield in on the discussion, it looked like Gibbons was reading him the riot act about being more aggressive with the Yankees. Biagini retired the next nine Yankees in a row — starting with a Greg Bird sacrifice fly that made it 2-0 — before Bird doubled in the fourth.
“It was just like a quick reminder to remain on the attack and not give the hitters too much time to adjust in between pitches,” Biagini said.
Tanaka’s streak of consecutive outs to open the game should have ended seven batters earlier, when Ryan Goins was called out on a full count pitch that was six inches outside the strike zone, low. It spoke volumes about umpire Adam Hamari that Goins stayed at home plate and abused him for a full 10 seconds and was allowed to remain in the game.
Biagini is now 0-7 for the last nine starts. He is 1-12 with a 6.38 ERA as a starter since May 17, averaging just under five innings per outing. The Jays still believe in him as a starter.
“We’re going to tell him to prepare to be a starter (next season),” Gibbons said. “Then I’m sure in spring training we’ll gear him up to be that way, and if we have to back him down to put him in the pen or whatever happens, who knows, we could always do that. He needs to go home with the mentality that he’s going to be a starter.”
The Jays’ reliever-turned-starter feels fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of the rotation. He knows he needs to be more consistent and has studied more experienced teammates.
“It’s been a season of trial and error for me,” Biagini said. “Lots of trial, lots of error. Some successes, some stints of games that I feel really good about . . . there’s an opportunity and almost an obligation for me to take what was successful for me and what wasn’t successful and use it. Just trying to be as aware as I can about the other guys, the other starters here.
“I feel like the main component of being a good starter is consistency that I don’t have as well as I would like. Even Brett Anderson is a guy I enjoy watching his tempo, staying on the attack. I really like watching Jay Happ pitch because of how controlled he is. (Marcus) Stroman is very body-aware and knows how to make adjustments well. I was looking forward to seeing (Aaron) Sanchez pitch more this year. Even watching (Marco) Estrada just using his pitches, kind of pitching in a different way.
“You appreciate the positive in that of taking something from what they’re doing and applying it to yourself.”
In roster news, Kevin Pillar left for his California home to be with his wife for the impending birth of their first child. Right-hander Taylor Cole, cut earlier in the season and then re-signed as a minor-league free-agent, was promoted to the major leagues for the final weekend, with Aaron Sanchez transferred to the 60-day DL to create room on the 40-man roster.