Ryan Weathers wasn’t his sharpest, and the Yankees hitters could not come through consistently in the clutch as they fell to the Blue Jays, 8-5, on Friday night in Toronto.
New York was 2-for-10 with RISP and left nine on base. Toronto (34-36) was 4-for-7 with seven left on base.
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The loss snapped the Yankees’ (41-27) four-game winning streak.
Here are the takeaways…
-Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk made his return to the team on Friday after missing 62 games due to injury. He announced his return by winning an ABS challenge from behind the plate on the first pitch thrown. He then marked his return again, this time at the plate, with a two-out double that scored Ernie Clement to give the Blue Jays the early lead.
Kazuma Okamoto followed with a 423-foot blast to give Toronto a 3-0 lead. That wasn’t the only longball given up by Weathers. In the second, Weathers hit a batter with two outs to bring up George Springer. The veteran slugger launched a two-run shot to extend Toronto’s lead. Weathers would settle down, pitching into the fifth before he was pulled with one out and Springer on second.
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Jake Bird was called on, but gave up an RBI double to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and then an RBI single to Kirk.
Weathers pitched 4.1 innings (82 pitches/52 strikes), allowing six runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two. The lefty has now allowed seven home runs in his last three starts after allowing eight in his first 10 starts. He’s also allowed 16 runs in those three starts.
-The Yankees had their chances against Trey Yesavage. In the second, Yesavage walked two to load the bases with one out. J.C. Escarra struck out and Trent Grisham hit a high pop-up to second to waste the opportunity.
Early on, it looked as if the Yankees would have another tough go against Yesavage. Entering the game, the Yankees had not driven in a run against him in their first two starts against him — one being in the ALDS. That changed quickly in the fifth. Paul Goldschmidt drove in New York’s first run of the game on a one-out sac fly to score Escarra, who had doubled, and Cody Bellinger followed with a two-run blast just over the wall in right field.
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The Yankees would chase Yesavage in the sixth after Spencer Jones led off with a walk and Jose Caballero doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. However, Ryan McMahon struck out and Amed Rosario hit a weak grounder to the pitcher for the first two outs. Grisham came through, though, with a two-run single. Grisham made it to second on the throw home, but the veteran outfielder had to exit after seemingly coming up lame rounding first base.
-The Yankees had the bases loaded again with two outs in the seventh, but could not capitalize after McMahon flew out to end the threat. They didn’t have much going on the bases in the final two innings as they dropped the series opener.
-Escarra finished 1-for-2 with his leadoff extra-base hit in the fifth, breaking the streak of Yankees catchers not having a hit in the month of June. They were 0-for-26 up to that point. He was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the middle innings. Ali Sanchez went 0-for-1.
-Caballero started at short instead of Anthony Volpe and went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Jones went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts but walked twice and came around to score.
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Game MVP: Alejandro Kirk
The Blue Jays backstop enjoyed a 3-for-3 night, driving in two runs.
Highlights
What’s next
The Yankees and Jays continue their three-game set on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 3:07 PM
Cam Schlittler (7-3, 1.87 ERA) takes the mound against Kevin Gausman (4-4, 3.60 ERA).
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