Yankees go quietly on offense in loss to Blue Jays
Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo reacts after grounding out during a baseball game against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Monday. Credit: AP/Christopher Katsarov
TORONTO — It's been rare for the Yankees' offense to be outright handcuffed by an opposing pitching staff this season.
It happened Monday night, though, as the Yankees went quietly in a 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays in front of 30,962 at Rogers Centre.
It marked the first time this season that the Yankees (12-5), who allowed a three-run rally by the Guardians in the 10th inning of an 8-7 loss in Cleveland on Sunday, suffered consecutive losses.
Blue Jays righthander Chris Bassitt, who came in 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA, was dominant on Monday night, allowing one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings in which he walked two and struck out five.
“He is the epitome of the kitchen sink,” Aaron Boone said. “He'll throw everything.”
Yankees righthander Luis Gil, who in his first two starts of the season flashed some of the electric stuff that won him the fifth starter job in spring training, wasn’t bad. But he was all over the place in allowing three runs, three hits and seven walks in five erratic innings in which he struck out six.
Both teams finished with four hits, and the Yankees did lead in the game. Gleyber Torres singled with one out in the second, went to second on Alex Verdugo's single and scored on yet another RBI hit by Oswaldo Cabrera — who called Bassitt “nasty” — this one an opposite-field single to left.
The Blue Jays (9-8) scored twice in the bottom half. Cavan Biggio led off with a double and scored when Gil walked the next three batters. A wild pitch gave Toronto a 2-1 lead.
Alejandro Kirk, who entered the night hitting .170 but who always seems to hit the Yankees, did so again Monday, walking once and collecting two hits. His RBI double in the third made it 3-1.
