Yankees 9, Blue Jays 6: Hey, a Win!

It wasn't easy getting there, but the Yankees got a much needed win after the offense came alive in the late innings. Henderson Alvarez kept the Yankee bats at bay for much of the day, but the game turned after a big rally in the top of the seventh.

The Blue Jays held a 5-2 lead going into the seventh. Alvarez had looked decent for the most part, but was pulled before the inning, after giving up a run the inning before. Brett Cecil replaced him and promptly gave up a single to Eduardo Nunez. Cecil was then replaced by Steve Delabar, who allowed a ground rule double to Derek Jeter. The Yankees now had runners on second and third with no outs. Ichiro Suzuki hit a sac fly to score Nunez. Alex Rodriguez then walked. Robinson Cano continued his hot hitting as of late, doubling to score Jeter. Aaron Loup was brought in for Delabar, and threw a wild pitch, which allowed Rodriguez to score to tie the game. Swisher then smashed one straight at Brett Lawrie, who got Cano at first to complete a double play, to escape without any more damage.

After a scoreless bottom half, the Yankees struck again in the top of the eighth. Granderson walked, and Ibanez singled, and both moved up a base on Russell Martin's bunt. Nunez hit a sac fly to give the Yankees the lead for the first time. Jeter then singled to score Gardner, who was brought in to pinch run for Ibanez.

After a relatively easy inning by David Robertson, the offense added two more insurance runs in the ninth, with Granderson singling two home.

Rafael Soriano was brought in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, and let things get a bit hairy. He allowed singles to Lawrie and Rajai Davis and walked Colby Rasmus, and the bases were suddenly loaded with no outs. He got Yunel Escobar to ground into a double play, but a run scored. The next batter, Adam Lind, grounded out to end the game, however, and the Yankees won 9-6.

Positives

• The offense from the sixth inning on.
• Cano, Jeter, and Rodriguez all had pretty good days at the plate.

Negatives

• Phil Hughes was not good. He allowed five earned runs on eight hits and two walks today. Not good, at all.
• The Angels managed to beat the Rangers, so we're still not mathematically in the playoffs. (Also shows the dangers of writing recaps early. I started writing when the Angels were losing and the headline had the word playoffs in it. The Angels then won, and Soriano then struggled in the bottom of the ninth. I am dumb.)

The Yankees will now return home to finish off the regular season against the Red Sox. (Who lost again to the Orioles, which leaves us still tied in the AL East. Thanks, a lot, a-holes.)

Box Score, Graph Thingy