CC Sabathia has been brilliant of late. With a seven-inning quality start on Thursday, the southpaw has now pitched into the seventh two times in his last three starts, and has allowed fewer than three earned runs in 10-of-16.
And so had the Yankees’ offense…until Thursday’s 3-1 loss.
Unlike Sabathia’s previous two outings, where he received a combined 13 runs of support, he had just one to work with against the Blue Jays. The team’s bats struggled to get to J.A. Happ, who allowed a run on three hits and three walks over seven, and the Yankees dropped their three-game set against Toronto as a result.
The Play: Encarnacion’s two-run single (+.194 WPA)
The third inning was the Yankees’ undoing. Didi Gregorius’s error extended the frame, allowed Devon Travis to reach, and eventually score on Edwin Encarnacion’s two-run single.
Top Performers
Yankees: CC Sabathia (7 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 2 H, BB, 7 K
Blue Jays: Jose Bautista (2-for-4, 2B, R)
Notes
– Chasen Shreve was placed on the 15-day DL prior to the game with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. He won’t pick up a baseball for seven days.
– Dellin Betances hit 101 mph three times in the eighth.
– Sabathia has now tied Chuck Finley for 23rd on the all-time strikeout list with 2,610.
The Quote
“Just a bad hop. Nothing you can do with that.” – Didi Gregorius, on his error
The Highlight: Castro’s solo shot to right
Up Next
The Yankees fly right to Tampa Bay to play the Rays at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday. Masahiro Tanaka (2-0, 3.24) gets the ball against the struggling Chris Archer (3-5, 5.16). You can watch this one on PIX 11 in New York.
Photo: Adam Hunger / USATSI; Videos: MLB.com