New York Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka made his long awaited return to the mound a successful outing against the Toronto Blue Jays as he pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his first game since July 8, and the Yankees won 5-2. Tanaka threw 70 of his allotted 75 pitches before coming out of the game with one out and two runners on base in the sixth inning. Adam Warren relieved and protected Tanaka's 2-1 lead by striking out the two batters he faced to end the inning. 

Tanaka (W: 13-4, 2.47 ERA) allowed a first-inning run on a double-play groundout off the bat of Edwin Encarnacion after allowing hits to Jose Reyes and Jose Bautista to open the game. He then struck out Dioner Navarro to end the threat. From that point on, Tanaka allowed just three more hits. His final line reads 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, and 4K.

The Yankees tied the game in the bottom of the first when Brian McCann launched his 21st home run of the season, the first of two on the day, into the right-field bleachers. Then, in the fifth, Brett Gardner put the Yankees ahead with a solo shot (17) of his own. 

Gardner's shot did more than than extend his personal career high; it has historical significance as well. It was home run #15,000 in the long, storied history of the New York franchise, which began as the New York Highlanders from 1903-1912 before becoming the Yankees in 1913.

Brett Gardner hits the 15,000th home run in #Yankees franchise history, a solo shot to right field. Yankees take a 2-1 lead.

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 21, 2014

Derek Jeter added an insurance run with an RBI double in the seventh, scoring Gardner and adding to his all-time ninth-place total, which now stands at 1,921. He then stole third and scored on McCann's two-run shot (22) off Daniel Norris with no outs.

Toronto scored their second run in the top of the eighth when Encarnacion drove one off the right-field wall for an RBI single that scored Reyes from third. The Yankees' David Robertson then pitched a scoreless ninth inning to notch his 38th save.

Drew Hutchison (L: 10-13,  4.51 ) started and took the loss for the Blue Jays. Hutchison pitched 4+ innings, giving up the two solo home runs as part of the five hits he allowed. He also walked three and struck out six. 

For the Yankees, they not only get a much-needed win to keep pace in the A.L. Wild Card race, but they also got a first-hand look at how Tanaka pitched after such a long layoff and severe injury. Tanaka was on the 60-day disabled list with a partially-torn UCL in his right elbow. He has avoided surgery to this point, and the Yankees will most likely see how he feels on Monday before deciding if he will get another start. If so, his normal schedule of rest would mean he pitches again Friday night in Fenway Park.