Coming off of two straight shutouts of the New York Yankees to start the weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays were looking to dominate again today against a suddenly free falling Yankees team. Marco Estrada had to pitch out of trouble a couple of times, but he came up in the clutch and escaped a seventh inning jam by striking out the side. In the end, Estrada lasted seven innings, allowed four hits, two walks, and one earned run on Didi Gregorius’ no-out solo home run in the seventh inning.
On the offensive side of things, the Blue Jays were silent for most of the game. Jose Bautista got things started in the fourth inning with a solo home run of his own, but that was the only time the Blue Jays would score until the eighth inning. In the seventh, Troy Tulowitzki and Michael Saunders hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, and Kevin Pillar bunted them over on a 1-0 pitch to put runners on second and third with one out for Ezequiel Carrera. Zeke and Devon Travis proceeded to strike out, leaving Tulowitzki and Saunders in scoring position late in the ballgame. However, in the eighth inning, Josh Donaldson walked, stole second, and advanced to third on an Edwin Encarnacion groundout. That brought Jose Bautista to the plate, who hit an RBI single to score Donaldson and give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead.
Joaquin Benoit relieved Estrada in the eighth inning, and promptly gave up a double to Brett Gardner to start the inning. However, Benoit was able to bounce back and retire the side, leaving Gardner at second base. Roberto Osuna came into the game in the ninth inning and was up 0-2 on the first two batters he faced, but both of them reached, putting men on first and second with no outs. After a fielder’s choice to move the runners to second and third, Mason Williams picked up an RBI single, tying the ballgame at two runs a piece with just one out. After that, Ronald Torreyes hit a sac fly, scoring one, and giving the Yankees the 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Melvin Upton Jr. walked and after a pitching change, Kevin Pillar hit a single through the hole between first and second, advancing Upton Jr. to third base. This brought up Ezequiel Carrera, who got an infield single on a bunt, scoring Upton Jr. Pillar advanced to third on an error, while Zeke moved up to second as well. This all happened with no out. Devon Travis then struck out, and Josh Donaldson was intentionally walked for Edwin Encarnacion. He promptly hit a single through the same hole Pillar did, and the Blue Jays emerged victorious in this one.
Top Play of the Game by WPA
Down 3-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Jays mounted a comeback to get the walk off victory. The most influential play was Kevin Pillar’s single with Melvin Upton Jr. on first base, allowing him to get to third, and increasing the Blue Jays’ win probability by 32.7 percentage points.
Bottom Play of the Game by WPA
With runners on second and third and one out, the Blue Jays had a prime opportunity to take the lead in a tied 1-1 game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ezequiel Carrera didn’t help things, instead striking out, and lowering the Blue Jays’ win probability by 13.5 percentage points.
Blue Jays Mourn Loss of Marlins Ace Jose Fernandez
The Blue Jays held numerous tributes today in memory of Jose Fernandez, the Marlins ace who was killed earlier today in a boating accident in Miami. A moment of silence was held before the game in his memory, and Edwin Encarnacion decided to forego walk up music on this solemn day. Some Blue Jays players also put the number 16 on their caps. Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star wrote an article about various Blue Jays reactions to the tragic news.
Up Next
The Blue Jays will look to complete the four game sweep of the Yankees tomorrow evening and put one more dent into New York’s playoff aspirations. J.A. Happ (20-4, 3.28) will take the mound for Toronto, while the Yankees have yet to announce their starter. Currently, it appears as if Luis Severino (3-8, 5.70) will be the guy for the Yankees. First pitch is at 7:07 PM ET.
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