Achi news desk-
TORONTO – Chris Bassitt pitched a solid start and Alejandro Kirk had two hits as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 3-1 on Monday night at the Rogers Centre.
Bassitt (2-2) held the Yankees to one earned run and four hits over his 6 1/3-inning appearance. Yimi Garcia pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save.
Both teams had four hits in the three-game series opener.
Toronto scored on a bases loaded walk and a bases loaded wild pitch in the second inning. Kirk drove in the Blue Jays’ other run in the third.
The Yankees, who started the day with the best record in the major leagues, fell to 12-5.
Toronto (9-8) has won five of its last seven games.
The Blue Jays put runners on the corners in the first inning after a pair of walks and a fielder’s choice. Yankees starter Luis Gil (0-1) escaped by striking out Justin Turner and catching Bo Bichette at first.
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New York also put runners on first and third in the next frame and took advantage. Oswaldo Cabrera’s RBI single brought home Gleyber Torres with the game’s first run.
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Gil’s control issues continued in the bottom half of the inning. He issued three straight walks after giving up a leadoff double to Cavan Biggio.
The free pass to Isiah Kiner-Falefa brought home Biggio and a wild pitch allowed George Springer Kirk to pop home to make it 2-1.
Kirk delivered his first extra-base hit of the season with a double down the left field line in the third inning. Bichette scored from second base on the play.
A successful challenge on a stolen base call helped stop a New York rally in the fifth inning. Trent Grisham was initially called safe at second base but review showed that Biggio tagged his leg before his hand touched the bag.
Bassitt allowed two walks and struck out five. Tim Mayza recorded the last two outs of the seventh inning before Chad Green pitched a clean eighth.
The announced attendance was 30,962 and the game took two hours 23 minutes to play.
RELEASE ON ROAD
Timing details were not available, but Toronto relievers Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson were expected to be activated “soon” from the injured list, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said before the game.
Romano (elbow) and Swanson (forearm) were with the big league club Monday after completing their rehab assignments at Triple-A Buffalo.
The Blue Jays reinstated catcher Danny Jansen (wrist) from the IL 10 days before the game.
JACKIE ROBINSON DAY
Players from both teams wore No. 42 for Jackie Robinson Day. The number was generally retired by Major League Baseball in 1997.
Robinson broke the MLB color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
COMING UP
The left-hander was expected to square off on Tuesday night with Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 2.30 earned run average) facing Carlos Rodon (1-0, 1.72).
The series ends on Wednesday with a test. Kevin Gausman (0-2, 11.57) was initially tabbed against former Blue Jay Marcus Stroman (1-1, 2.12).
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on April 15, 2024.
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& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
