Yankees 5, Blue Jays 0
NEW YORK -- Masahiro Tanaka pitched seven outstanding innings and the New York Yankees averted a four-game sweep with a 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.
First baseman Dustin Ackley was put in the lineup because of a .364 average off R.A. Dickey and the move paid off. Ackley lifted a sacrifice fly for New York's first run and hit a two-run home run into the right field seats with two outs in the fourth.
Designated hitter Alex Rodriguez was honored in a pregame ceremony and had an RBI double in the eighth. He also scored on Ackley's sacrifice fly, sliding head first and raising his hands in triumph after being called safe.
Tanaka (12-6) helped the Yankees snap a pair of negative streaks by scattering four hits and holding third baseman Josh Donaldson and right fielder Jose Bautista to a combined one hit in six at-bats. His outing ended a five-game losing streak and a seven-game home losing streak to Toronto while also moving the Yankees (78-64) back to within 3 1/2 games in the AL East.
Tanaka struck out seven without a walk and threw 108 pitches, and since allowing five runs and five hits in four innings on Opening Day, he has a 1.23 ERA in his last three starts against Toronto.
It was the second time in less than a month Tanaka produced a big outing against the Blue Jays.
Last month, Tanaka followed up New York's dramatic 4-3 win in Toronto by pitching a complete game Aug. 15 in an outing which at the time gave the Yankees a 1 1/2-game edge.
After 12 pitchers combined to allow 19 earned runs and 24 hits in 20 innings during Saturday's doubleheader, Tanaka controlled things and never let anything escalate.
Tanaka gave up a two-out double to Bautista in the first but struck out designated hitter Chris Colabello. He gave up a one-out double to center fielder Kevin Pillar in the second but picked him off and struck out shortstop Ryan Goins.
Tanaka went nearly four innings without allowing a baserunner, retiring 11 in a row before Colabello had a double on a ball left fielder Brett Gardner lost sight of. Gardner made a sliding catch on first baseman Justin Smoak and Tanaka finished the outing by getting Pillar.
Dickey allowed five runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings. Dickey lost for the first time in eight decisions since a 2-0 loss July 9 against the Chicago White Sox.
The Blue Jays were shut out for the fifth time but first time since July 10 in Chicago.
NOTES: Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos said SS Troy Tulowitzki (cracked shoulder blade) may return within two to three weeks and would hopefully be available to play in October. Tulowitzki was injured in a freak collision with CF Kevin Pillar during Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader. ... Yankees RHP Adam Warren is scheduled to start Tuesday in Tampa Bay and the only way he doesn't is if he pitched Sunday. ... Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion, who has reached base safely in a team record 42 straight games, did not start after aggravating a recent finger injury during the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader. ... Dustin Ackley, who is a .364 hitter in 12 plate appearances off Toronto RHP R.A. Dickey, started his second straight game at first base. ... Toronto announced it acquired IF Darwin Barney from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named later or cash considerations.