Blue Jays Hand Yankees First Loss Of The Season
TORONTO (AP) — Yangervis Solarte hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Kevin Pillar added an insurance run by stealing second, third and home to send the Toronto Blue Jays over the New York Yankees 5-3 Saturday for their first win of the season.
The Blue Jays bounced back from two straight losses. Tyler Austin homered twice for the Yankees.
Solarte began the eighth with a deep drive to center field off Dellin Betances (0-1) for a 4-3 lead.
Pillar hit a one-out single and swiped his way to third. The speedy outfielder then broke for the plate with Gift Ngoepe at bat, and Betances threw wildly to the backstop as Pillar scored standing up. It was Toronto's first straight steal of home since Aaron Hill did it against New York on May 29, 2007.
Justin Smoak had three hits on his bobblehead doll day as the Blue Jays denied New York, under new manager Aaron Boone, its first 3-0 start since 2003.
Ryan Tepera (1-0) pitched one inning for the win and Roberto Osuna finished for his first save.
Austin homered in consecutive at bats against Marco Estrada, the first multihomer game of his career. Austin hit a two-run drive in the fifth and a solo shot in the seventh. Both homers reached the second deck, and both tied the score.
The Yankees lost two players to injuries.
Outfielder Billy McKinney sprained his left shoulder when he crashed into the left field scoreboard while chasing Josh Donaldson's double in the first. After being checked by the trainer, McKinney stayed in for one more batter before being replaced by Brett Gardner. McKinney made his major league debut a day earlier.
Yankees reliever Adam Warren exited in the sixth after being struck on the right ankle by Aledmys Diaz's comebacker. Jonathan Holder came on and immediately gave up a tiebreaking single to Luke Maile. X-rays on Warren's ankle were negative.
Toronto took its first lead of the season on Smoak's RBI single in the first, then took a 2-0 on Smoak's RBI double in the third off CC Sabathia.
Making his first career start in center field, Aaron Judge went 0 for 4 for the Yankeees. He played the position after an injury to Aaron Hicks in the opener.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: X-rays on McKinney's shoulder were negative. McKinney was recalled from Triple-A Friday after Hicks went on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained right ribcage. Outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury (strained right oblique) and Clint Frazier (concussion) are also on the DL.
Blue Jays: Donaldson (dead arm) felt good after throwing on the field before the game. Manager John Gibbons said he expects Donaldson to return to his position within "the next couple of days." Donaldson made his second straight start at DH Saturday. ... 2B Devon Travis and C Russell Martin got the day off. Gibbons said Travis, who missed more than 100 games last year because of a right knee injury, will get at least one day off every three days for the time being. ... LHP Sam Moll cleared waivers and was assigned to the minor leagues.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Sonny Gray is 4-3 with a 2.47 ERA in eight career starts against the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman was limited to two starts in spring training because of a sore shoulder. He's 6-4 with a 3.19 ERA in 13 career starts against the Yankees.
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