Coming off a disappointing end to last nights loss, the Toronto Blue Jays saw off the New York Yankees 6-3 to win the rubber match of their three game set to open the season.
The Blue Jays got to Yankees starter CC Sabathia (0-1) early and gave themselves a comfortable lead to work with as Alex Rodriguez homered for the first time after a yearlong drug suspension..
Edwin Encarnacion led the way for Toronto going 2-for-4, including a home run. Rookie pitcher Daniel Norris (1-0) picked up his first major-league win going five and two thirds innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs.
After striking out two of the first three batters it didn’t take long for the Jays to figure out Sabathia. Three consecutive singles to open the second inning loaded up the bases for the Jays. Kevin Pillar followed that up with a single of his own, scoring Encarnacion.
Two back-to-back ground outs tacked on two more runs for the visiting team, making it 3-0. Shortstop Jose Reyes got in on the act and singled home Pillar.
Sabathia went five and two thirds innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs. This was disappointing first start of the season for the former All-Star lefty.
The Yankees finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth after John Ryan Murphy opened the inning with a double (1) to left field. Didi Gregorius brought home Murphy as he checked his run rounding first, only to be thrown out.
Danny Valencia put the Jays back up by four in the top of the sixth after he singled in Josh Donaldson all the way from first on a throwing error by Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran, making it 5-1.
New York struggled to get men on base as they tried to fight their way back into the game. However, two homers in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of Alex Rodriguez (1) and Mark Teixeira (1) cut the deficit to just two runs.
That’d be as close as the Yankees would get as Encarnacion homered in the eighth to widen the Jays lead to 6-3.
20-year-old Miguel Castro came into the game in the ninth in search of his first big league save. Castro need just 15 pitches to retire the side (S:1).
A night of milestones for a young Blue Jays roster. 21-year-old Norris with his first career win and Castro with his first career save.
Both teams are right back at it Friday night as the Jays travel to Baltimore to take on the Orioles, and the Yankees play host to the Boston Red Sox.
