Corey Kluber pitched well enough, Gary Sanchez hit another homer, the new lefty Jay Bruce got a big 2-RBI hit, and the bullpen did their job in carrying the Yanks to their 1st win of the year, 5-3 over Toronto at a sunny but chilly 55-degree, Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.
The reasons why it was 5-3 NY:
1. Kluber Danced thru 4 Innings
It was Corey Kluber‘s first game as a Yankee. He finished with 4 innings, 5 hits, and 1 run allowed. He struck out 5; walked 3. He was able to pitch through most of the trouble. In the first he allowed the first two batters — shortstop Marcus Semien and 2nd baseman Cavan Biggio — to single, but then got a double play and struck out cleanup hitter and right fielder Teoscar Hernandez — his first strikeout as a Yank.
Corey Kluber gets out of a jam with his first strikeout as a Yankee!
Stream it LIVE: https://t.co/C0O9ubjD9H pic.twitter.com/J3fOrSlDLH
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 3, 2021
The Yanks gave Kluber the lead in the bottom of the 2nd when a DJ LeMahieu infield single plated a run. In the 3rd, Kluber walked 2, in between 3 strikeouts. On the second strikeout, Gary Sanchez tried to nab the runner on 3rd but threw errantly allowing the runner to score and make it 1-1.
But the Yanks got more runs for Kluber in the 4th, giving him a 3-1 lead — a Gary Sanchez homer made it 2-1 NY, and an Aaron Hicks infield single with bases loaded later in the inning made it 3-1 NY.
Kluber allowed a lead-off homer to Semien in the 5th and was lifted for Jonathan Loaisiga.
2. Sanchez with Another Homer
Gary Sanchez belted his second homer in 2 games — a blast to left in the bottom of the 4th to put the Yankees up 2-1.
Two home runs in two games for Gary Sanchez! 💣💣
Stream it LIVE: https://t.co/C0O9ubjD9H pic.twitter.com/WTTvv8NHZ0
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 3, 2021
3. Bruce with the Big Hit
Jay Bruce — acquired as a lefty power bat in this almost entirely righty Yankee lineup — who now has become the regular 1st baseman until Luke Voit returns — got a big 2-out, 2-strike, bases-loaded bloop hit to the opposite field to plate 2 runs in the 7th to give the Yanks a 5-2 lead.
Jay Bruce comes up CLUTCH with his first Yankees base hit!
Stream it LIVE: https://t.co/C0O9ubjD9H pic.twitter.com/7GQEeGjsPX
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 3, 2021
4. Bullpen Did It’s Job
Jonathan Loaisiga pitched 2 shutout, no-hit innings, and struck out 3. He is an important pitcher for the Yanks this year. There are some who whisper he might be a young Mariano Rivera?
Darren O’Day pitched ok and Chad Green came in throwing smoke in the 9th; all Toronto could do could pop his rising 95 MPH fastball up for pop outs. He got the save; Loaisiga the win.
Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeeeeeeee Yankees win! pic.twitter.com/MqFPEJaxBb
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) April 3, 2021
5. Yank Batters Get Hits
Aaron Judge got 2 hits; Gio Urshela got 2 hits; Clint Frazier went 1-3 with a walk; Gleyber Torres got a hit and a walk; DJ LeMahieu got 2 hits; Giancarlo Stanton walked twice. Great day for the batters as Yanks got 11 hits. Yanks did leave 12 on base but who cares they won.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=401227087
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