Recap: Toronto vs. NY Yankees
Sports Network | September 24, 2008
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Bobby Abreu hit a grand slam in the 10th inning to push the New York Yankees to their seventh straight win, 6-2 over the Toronto Blue Jays in the middle contest of a three-game set.
Xavier Nady drove in the other two runs for New York, which has only one loss over its last 11 games but was eliminated from postseason contention Tuesday. Juan Miranda went 2-for-4, recording the first two hits of his career.
New York was without captain Derek Jeter on Wednesday. The All-Star shortstop was not in the lineup after getting hit on his left hand over the weekend by a pitch. Cody Ransom got the start at shortstop instead.
Phil Hughes, who made seven starts in April before spending the next four months either injured or in the minors and didn't return until September 17, started and was tagged for just two runs on five hits in eight innings with six strikeouts. Jose Veras (5-2) got the win with a scoreless ninth.
Scott Rolen had a solo homer for the Blue Jays, who have dropped three straight. Alex Rios also had an RBI in defeat.
A.J. Burnett also lasted eight innings and yielded two runs -- one earned -- on seven hits with 11 strikeouts and just two walks. Jesse Carlson (7-2) took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits in two innings.
Miranda led off the 10th frame with a double off Carlson, but was pinch-run for by Melky Cabrera. Chad Moeller then drew a walk and Brett Gardner advanced both runners with a bunt. Robinson Cano got plunked to load the bases and Abreu cleared them with a blast over the fence in right field.
Sidney Ponson came in for the bottom of the 10th and retired the side in order.
Toronto assumed a 1-0 lead in the opening stanza. Joe Inglett led off the game with a double, moved to third on Marco Scutaro's groundout and touched home plate as Rios offered a sacrifice fly to left field.
The Yankees took the lead in the third inning. Gardner reached on a force out and Cano followed with a single before advancing to second on a throwing error from Scutaro. Two batters later, Nady made it 2-1 with a single to center field.
The bats went dormant for a few innings until Rolen took a two-out, 1-1 curveball deep to left field to tie the game in the seventh.
The Yankees fell out of playoff contention for the first time since finishing second in the AL East in 1993. New York won the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000, and was beaten in the Fall Classic in 2001 and 2003...New York improved to 9-8 in 17 matchups with Toronto this season...The Yankees have shut down lefty Andy Pettitte for the remainder of the season. Pettitte was to have started Saturday at Boston, but instead with the Yankees already eliminated from playoff contention, New York manager Joe Girardi said Pettitte will have a chance to rest his sore pitching shoulder...It was Abreu's eighth career grand slam, and second this season.
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