Tulowitzki, Donaldson powers Jays over Yanks
TORONTO -- Troy Tulowitzki had four RBIs, Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer, Francisco Liriano pitched six scoreless innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 9-0 on Friday night.
The Blue Jays (84-69) maintained their hold on the first American League wild-card spot while dealing a blow to the wild-card chances of the Yankees (79-74).
The Blue Jays are still one game ahead of the Detroit Tigers, who hold the second wild-card spot. The Yankees fall to four games behind the Tigers.
Liriano (8-13) allowed three hits, two walks and struck out six to even his record at 2-2 since joining the Blue Jays in August after a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Yankees starter Bryan Mitchell (1-2) allowed six hits, four walks and three runs (one earned) in six innings. The right-hander struck out two.
Joaquin Benoit replaced Liriano in the seventh and walked his first batter, Aaron Hicks. He then induced a double-play grounder to first from pinch-hitter Brian McCann and ended the inning on a foul out to third by Ronald Torreyes.
Blake Parker replaced Mitchell in bottom of the seventh and allowed a leadoff bunt single to Ezequiel Carrera.
Devon Travis followed with a single to center to put runners at the corners. Donaldson fouled out to moderate right. Carrera held at third and Travis went to second when McCann could not handle the throw home.
Edwin Encarnacion was intentionally walked and Jose Bautista scorched a two-run double to left give the Blue Jays a 5-0 lead. Russell Martin walked to load the bases.
Tulowitzki grounded a two-run single to right to stretch the lead to 7-0.
James Pazos finished the inning for the Yankees.
Brett Cecil pitched a perfect top of the eighth for Toronto.
Donaldson hit his 36th homer of the season in eighth against Ben Heller after Travis led off with a double.
Danny Barnes retired the side in order in the ninth for the Blue Jays.
Each team loaded the bases in the first inning and the Blue Jays emerged with a 2-0 lead.
The Yankees failed to cash in when Chase Headley struck out to end the inning after a two-out double by Gary Sanchez and walks to Billy Butler and Didi Gregorius.
Butler's error on a one-out grounder to first by Donaldson, a single by Encarnacion, a two-out walk by Martin and a two-run single by Tulowitzki gave Toronto its first-inning lead.
The Blue Jays added a run to take a 3-0 lead in the second on singles by Kevin Pillar and Ezequiel Carrera, a sacrifice by Devon Travis and walks by Donaldson and Encarnacion.
NOTES: Toronto LHP Francisco Liriano was the eighth left-handed starter the Yankees have faced in their past 10 games. ... By sweeping the Blue Jays in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium Sept. 5-7, New York ended a string of six straight series losses to Toronto. ... Toronto 2B Devon Travis was 0-for-4 with a walk Wednesday in the 12-inning, 2-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners to end a 17-game hit streak, the Blue Jays' longest of the season. Travis batted .392 (29-for-70) during that span. ... Yankees C Gary Sanchez was 0-for-2 with two walks Thursday in the 2-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays to end a six-game extra-base hit streak and four-game home run streak. ... Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (9-9, 4.50 ERA) will face Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (8-12, 4.19 ERA) in the second game of the four-game series on Saturday.