New York Yankees defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in second series – MLB Review
The 2011 season was becoming harder for the New York Yankees. The club had to put a solid struggle against the Chicago White Sox to level the four-game series at Yankee Stadium. The team now had to take on the Toronto Blue Jays for a three-game series from
April 29 to May 1.
Last time when two teams met in Toronto, the two-game series was tied 1-all. It was the tough series for the Yankees. This time the confidence of the New York Yankees was a little scratched because of two disappointing losses by the White Sox in the previous
series.
Toronto Blue Jays overpowered the Yankees 5-3 in the series-opener at Yankee Stadium on April 29. Freddy Garcia gave away three runs on seven hits over his five innings and it caused him his first loss of the season. He allowed two home-runs, each one to
Jose Bautista and J.P. Arencibia.
The bad performance of the pitchers also destroyed the efforts that Robinson Cano had put in. Cano launched two home-runs, one each in the fourth and the eighth inning, but he did not get any support from his camp.
It was another loss for the Yankees in five days. The spectators were not used to it and the Yankees were aware of the pressure.
In the second outing, the club landed with a new impetus and got an immediate 5-2 lead until the bottom of the third inning. Russell Martin, Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson all had washed the blame of the spectators, now it was the pitcher’s move.
Allan James Burnett could not stabilise throughout the outing and allowed nine hits for four runs over his six innings. This might have sent the club into deep trouble, but Joba Chamberlain took the responsibility in a crucial time and tossed a hitless seventh.
Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera followed Joba with two consecutive scoreless innings and the Yankees grabbed the game 5-4.
The series tied at 1-all, which also turned the last outing into a series finale on May 1. The fans were expecting the batting and the pitching depth to join, if they had to receive another series win.
Curtis Granderson launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to advance the club into a 5-2 game and the 2-1 series win. It was the best time for Granderson to prove that he was not a platoon-type player who struggled against left-handed pitchers.
Joe Girardi was pleased with Granderson and said. "It's really his willingness to make a change. The baseball ability has always been there."
Girardi added. "His willingness to make changes, and identifying that he needs to make changes, that says a lot about him."
Granderson also helped Nova to earn his second win of the season. Nova had given two runs, as it was hard for him to take a control in just over six innings. Besides Granderson, Teixeira also launched a one-run homer in the first inning.
With this win, the Yankees had proven their dominance in the month of April, in which they lost only one series. However, their challenge was on the road in four-game outings against the Detroit Tigers from May 2 to May 5. Yankees had always seemed in trouble
during their road trips, which some say is due to the lack of support from their home fans.
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