Kikuchi, Guerrero help Jays edge Yankees 5-4
Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi struck out nine in his solid six innings, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s two-run single in the fourth pushed the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-4 win over the New York Yankees on Tuesday.
Kikuchi (1-1) provided the Blue Jays (10-8) with a three-run cushion after giving up only a run on four hits and a walk for Toronto's season-high fourth win in a row.
The Yankees (12-6) lost their third straight before 31,175 at Rogers Centre.
With the game deadlocked at 1-1, Guerrero slammed a two-out single through the infield and into centre field to score Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho. Guerrero went 2-for-3 with two walks.
The Blue Jays scored two more in the sixth inning on an error from New York second baseman Gleyber Torres and an RBI single from Bo Bichette.
The Yankees made it close with a two-run seventh inning off reliever Trevor Richards, which included a run-scoring double from Alex Verdugo and a sacrifice fly from Oswaldo Cabrera.
Toronto reliever Yimi Garcia enjoyed a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Canadian stopper Jordan Romano had a rocky ninth but earned his first save of the year. He hit Torres and gave up a one-out double to Verdugo. Romano then coaxed two infield outs with the first grounder scoring Torres.
The Yankees snatched a 1-0 lead in the second inning on catcher Jose Trevino's single to left field, scoring Giancarlo Stanton from second base. Davis Schneider's throw was in time and on target, but catcher Danny Jansen mishandled the ball. Jansen was making his first start in 2024 after suffering a wrist injury in spring training.
Schneider made another standout defensive play in the sixth inning with a diving catch along the left-field line.
The Blue Jays pulled even on a Justin Turner sacrifice fly that scored Daulton Varsho after his leadoff double in the third inning. Yankees starter Carlos Rodin (1-1) only lasted four innings. In his 101-pitch effort, he surrendered three runs on five hits, four walks, and five strikeouts.
BULLPEN BOLSTERED
Before the game, the Blue Jays reinstated relievers Romano (right elbow inflammation) and Erik Swanson (right forearm inflammation) from the 15-day injured list.
Nate Pearson was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, and Mitch White was designated for assignment to make room for the return of the veteran right-handed pitchers.
ON DECK
Toronto concludes its nine-game homestand and three-game set against the Yankees with a Wednesday matinee.
Kevin Gausman (0-2, 11.57) was scheduled to start against former Blue Jay Marcus Stroman (1-1, 2.12).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hamas rocket attack from Gaza sets off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv for the first time in months
Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza that set off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv for the first time in months on Sunday in a show of resilience more than seven months into Israel's massive air, sea and ground offensive.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event. The family asked for privacy and that people honor Murray by being kind to one another.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Some birds may use 'mental time travel,' study finds
Real quick — what did you have for lunch yesterday? Were you with anyone? Where were you? Can you picture the scene? The ability to remember things that happened to you in the past, especially to go back and recall little incidental details, is a hallmark of what psychologists call episodic memory — and new research indicates that it’s an ability humans may share with birds called Eurasian jays.
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
'Inspires a sense of adventure': Sask. man conquers Mount Everest
A Saskatchewan man made it to the summit of Mount Everest earlier this month.
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
Indianapolis 500 delayed as strong storm forces fans to evacuate Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The start of the Indianapolis 500 was delayed as a strong storm pushed through the area Sunday, forcing Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials to evacuate about 125,000 fans who had already arrived for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.