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SPORTS A19
Monday 14 September 2015
Blue Jays can’t sweep;
fall to Tanaka, Yanks 5-0
CHARLES O’BRIEN The Blue Jays said before Rodriguez was honored New York Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka pitches in the first
Associated Press the game that Tulowit- by the Yankees before the inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yan-
NEW YORK (AP) — The zki will miss at least two game for his 3,000th hit on kee Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in New York.
first-place Toronto Blue weeks after cracking his June 19, another step in
Jays put space between left shoulder blade in a col- thawing the formerly tense Associated Press
themselves and the New lision during the opener of relationship between A-
York Yankees on Saturday, Saturday’s doubleheader. Rod and team stemming
sweeping a doubleheader Encarnacion was held out from his one-year drug
that featured 20 innings, after aggravating a finger suspension and litigation
31 combined runs and a injury Saturday. when he tried to avoid
33-minute rain delay. “It’s a very small crack,” To- discipline.q
Manager John Gibbons ronto’s general manager
used 12 different pitch- Alex Anthopoulos said of
ers in the twin-bill, though, Tulowitzki’s injury. “Just talk-
and needed veteran ing with the doctors, if they
knuckleballer R.A. Dickey had to guess, and really it’s
to save Toronto’s bullpen only a guess at this point,
some work Sunday before it could be two-to-three
a much-needed day off weeks and then he could
Monday. be back for October.”
Dickey (10-11) pitched into Of Encarnacion, Anthon-
the eighth, but Toronto’s poulos said: “I would ex-
offense, without injured pect and hope that he’s
stars Troy Tulowitzki and Ed- back during the Atlanta
win Encarnacion, struggled series.” The Yankees sent
against New York’s Masa- Dickey to his first loss since
hiro Tanaka in a 5-0 loss. before the All-Star break.
Tanaka pitched like the The Blue Jays and Yankees
ace New York needed, play three more times in To-
holding Toronto to four hits ronto from Sept. 21-23.
over seven innings. The Dickey (10-11) gave up five
Yankees pulled within 3 1/2 runs and seven hits in 7 2-3
games of the Blue Jays af- innings. The knuckleballer
ter Toronto had scored 30 had been 7-0 with a 2.68
runs in the first three games ERA in 11 starts since losing
of the series. at the Chicago White Sox
“We came in feeling real on July 9.
good and we won three Ackley, starting because
out of four,” Gibbons said. he was 4 for 11 against
“We feel good leaving Dickey coming in, homered
here.” for the first time since July 8
Tanaka (12-6) struck out for Seattle against Detroit.
seven, walked none and New York went ahead in
threw 76 of 108 pitches for the second on sacrifice flies
strikes. He is 3-0 with a 2.54 by Ackley and Didi Grego-
ERA in his last four starts. rius. Ackley, acquired from
On Aug. 15, he beat the the Mariners on July 30,
Blue Jays with a five-hitter hit a two-run homer in the
in Toronto. fourth, and Alex Rodriguez
“He was good again to- added an RBI double in the
day,” Blue Jays manager eighth that chased Dickey.
John Gibbons said. “He’s “Today is a great example
been tough on us.” of what the formula is,”
Dustin Ackley homered Rodriguez said. “Strong
and had three RBIs for the pitching, get the ball to our
Yankees, who snapped a strong bullpen and hit the
five-game losing streak. ball out of the park.”
