Sabathia Wins 4th Consecutive Start As Yankees Clobber Blue Jays
TORONTO (AP) — CC Sabathia won his fourth consecutive start, Aaron Hicks had a career-high six RBIs and Gary Sanchez homered twice to lead the New York Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 on Thursday night.
Sabathia (6-2) allowed one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out seven and walked none. He has won four straight starts for the first time since April and May 2012. He had been 0-5 in seven starts against Toronto since beating the Blue Jays on April 6, 2014.
Hicks hit a three-run double in the first, singled in the third, had an RBI double in the seventh and a two-run double in the ninth. Hicks had never before driven in more than three runs in a game. He has 30 RBIs, one shy of his total last year.
Sanchez homered in consecutive at-bats against Marco Estrada (4-3), a solo drive in the second and a two-run shot in the fourth. It was the fourth multihomer game of his career, and 11 of his last 12 home runs have been hit on the road.
Brett Gardner his 999th and 1,000th hits for the Yankees, who reopened a three-game lead in the AL East.
Estrada allowed a season-high seven runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings, his shortest start since Sept. 9 against Boston.
Kendrys Morales homered off Sabathia in the seventh and Ezequiel Carrera against Chad Green in the eighth. Toronto had won eight of its previous nine.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: LHP Aroldis Chapman (shoulder) threw up to 100 feet on flat ground and could throw a bullpen next week, manager Joe Girardi said. ... OF Jacoby Ellsbury (concussion) is eligible to come off the seven-day concussion list but is not ready to return. "His neck is still sore, too," Girardi said. :Maybe in a couple of days we'll get him back but not quite yet." Ellsbury was injured making a catch on May 24. ... 1B Greg Bird (right ankle) went 1 for 1 with two walks in his first rehab game at Class A Tampa. Bird played six innings.
Blue Jays: C Russell Martin (left knee) and 2B Devon Travis (right knee) got the day off. ... Toronto recalled RHP Leonel Campos from Triple-A Buffalo. RHP Mike Bolsinger was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Michael Pineda (6-2, 3.32) has already matched his win total from 2016, when he had six victories in 32 starts. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in nine straight starts, matching the longest such stretch of his career.
Blue Jays: LHP Francisco Liriano (2-2, 6.35) is expected to come off the DL to start Friday. Liriano has been out since May 10 because of a sore shoulder. He allowed three runs — two earned — in 4 1/3 innings in his first rehab start at Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday.
(Copyright 2017 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
