Yankees Rally in 8th to Defeat Blue Jays

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

September 18^th, 2013

New York Yankees vs Toronto Blue Jays Post Game Recap

Final Score: Yankees 4 Blue Jays 3

The New York Yankees were able to snap their four-game losing streak on Wednesday in Toronto with a victory over the Blue Jays. The win moves the Yankees to (80-72), which keeps their Wild Card hopes alive, as they are now 2.5 games behind the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot.

Phil Hughes got the start for the Yankees in this crucial game, and like last time Joe Girardi did a Hughes/David Huff combo to get through this game. Hughes went three scoreless innings before giving up a 451ft two-run home run to Colby Rasmus. Hughes went 3.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits, and was pulled for Huff in the fourth inning.

The first batter Huff would face was Ryan Goins, and he promptly hit his first home run of the season. Huff would settle down after that however, as he finished going 3.2 innings allowing just the home run to Goins, and he earned his third win of the season.

Blue Jays Starter J.A. Happ looked very impressive against the Yankees, but despite pitching well enough to earn a win only got a no decision for his efforts. Happ would allow just one run on four hits and three walks, while striking out seven batters before he was pulled in the eighth inning after a Brendan Ryan double.

The eighth inning is where it would all go downhill for the Blue Jays bullpen, as Aaron Loup was the first man in, and he gave up a single to Curtis Granderson, leading to him being pulled for Steve Delabar. Delabar would strikeout Alex Rodriguez for the first out of the inning, but then the wheels came off, as Robinson Cano had a RBI single, which was followed up by a Alfonso Soriano RBI double, making it a 3-2 game. Vernon Wells would come up with the eventual game-winning hit, as he had a two-run RBI double giving the Yankees the lead.

In the ninth inning Mariano Rivera was in for the Yankees, but it wasn’t smooth sailing, as the Blue Jays got two singles off of Rivera making the ninth a bit interesting before Rivera would strikeout J.P. Arencibia to end the game, and earn his 44^th save of the season.

Next up will be yet another huge game for the Yankees, as if they want to make the playoff losing a series to the Blue Jays in just unacceptable. Hiroki Kuroda(11-11, 3.13) will be on the mound for the Yankees facing off against Todd Redmond(3-2, 4.10) in the rubber-game.