Kikuchi wins pitching duel vs. Yankees
Lefty walks one, strikes out nine
It worked so well Monday night, why not try it again Tuesday?
The Blue Jays rode a tremendous performance from a starting pitcher, dominance from Yimi Garcia out of the bullpen and just enough offence to a second straight win over the league-leading New York Yankees. It was Toronto’s fourth consecutive victory.
Yusei Kikuchi nearly matched Chris Bassitt’s series-opening performance, going six innings while allowing a run on four hits. The left-hander struck out nine and walked one in dropping his ERA to 2.08 and picking up his first win of the season.
The Jays’ hitters just plain wore out Yankees starter Carlos Rodon. A master-class 12-pitch walk by Bo Bichette in the first inning set the stage for a short night for the lefthander, who threw 101 pitches to get through just four innings.
The Jays loaded the bases with nobody out in the third, with the middle of the order coming up, and managed just one run on a sacrifice fly by Justin Turner.
The bases were full again the next inning, though with two out this time, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came through with the big hit that’s been so often missing — a rocket ground ball up the middle for a tworun single. It was one of four times he reached base in the game.
Two more runs came across in the sixth. Ernie Clement scampered home from third as Isiah KinerFalefa stole second and the ball trickled away from second baseman Gleyber Torres, then Bichette cashed Kiner-Falefa with a two-out single. Those runs were big, because Trevor Richards gave them back in the top of the seventh.
Garcia earned the save Monday by retiring Yankees sluggers Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo in order in the ninth inning. This time, he faced Soto and Judge in the eighth, got them both, then popped up former MVP Giancarlo Stanton.
The hard-throwing righty has now set down the last 16 hitters he has faced.
Jordan Romano, fresh off the injured list, stranded the tying run at third base in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
The Jays will face old pal Marcus Stroman Wednesday afternoon with a chance to sweep New York.