Yanks Slam Jays, Win 6-3

Can I make a confession? I was a little worried about this one. I know it’s mid-July and I know the Yankees have a big lead in the Division right now but it felt like tonight’s contest was going to turn into one of those games when the Yankees coming up short with runners in scoring position or even worse, failing with the bases loaded, would come back to bite them in the bum.

And it almost did in the eighth inning. With the game tied at two, the Yankees had the bases loaded with one out. After an extremely long at bat – thanks to Toronto reliever Jason Frasor‘s laborious way of pitching – Nick Swisher stared at a called strike three and it looked like the inning would end without the Yankees scoring.

I can say now with my hindsight being 20-20 that I must apologize to Raul Ibanez for doubting him. So, I’m sorry Raul. Please forgive me.

Ibanez stepped up to the plate, worked the count to 3-1 and then deposited a fastball into the second deck in right field. Ibanez’s grand slam put the Yankees up 6-2 and helped turn what was a pitcher’s duel at the time into an easy victory for the best team in baseball. Ibanez is now hitting .421 ( 8-19) with three home runs and 12 RBI when he’s in a 3-1 count this season.

Phil Hughes lasted seven innings, gave up two runs on four hits, walked three and struck out four. Adam Lind did hit a home run off Hughes in the top of the fourth which snapped a 24-inning homer-less streak for the right hander but Hughes was able to shake it off and get Yunel Escobar to strike out to end the inning.

The Yankees got on the board first with a home run by Russell Martin in the bottom of the second and they added their second run thanks to back-to-back doubles by Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano.

Henderson Alvarez who started for Toronto, gave up two runs on five hits in six full innings of work. He walked four and struck out six.

Jose Bautista left the game with a left wrist injury in the eighth inning after hitting a long foul ball to left off David Robertson. From the way he grabbed his arm and fell to one knee, it didn’t look good. Word from the Blue Jays was that it wasn’t a break but a tendon injury.

Robertson picked up his first win of the season thanks to Ibanez’s heroics. Rafael Soriano came into the game in the ninth after Cody Eppley walked Kelly Johnson and allowed a single to Rajai Davis. Soriano gave up a quick single of his own to J.P. Arencibia and thanks to an error by Dewayne Wise, Johnson scored to cut the score to 6-3. Soriano then induced a pop up by Brett Lawrie and struck out Colby Rasmus to end the game. He picked up his 23rd save of the season.

Some notes:

• The Yankees extended their streak of scoring three or more runs in a game to a franchise record 40 games.
• The Yankees now have six grand slams this season.

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