Domingo German allowed a 2-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.with 1 out in the top of the 1st, then pitched terrific, shutout ball until the top of the 6th, when he allowed a 2-out, 2-run homer to Brandon Belt.
And that was the old ballgame as the Yanks only managed 1 run off lefty Yusei Kikuchi and the Blue Jay bullpen — an Oswaldo Cabrera solo HR off Kikuchi in the 2nd.
The game was in fact a 2-1 pitcher’s duel until the Belt HR with 2 outs in the 6th.
Belt later doubled in 2 in the 8th off Albert Abreu to really put it away.
Greg Weissert accidentally hit Vlad Guerrero Jr with a pitch in the 9th — which caused Guerrero to stare down Weissert, and Anthony Rizzo to give Guerrero feedback — resulting in ruffled feathers but nothing more. Yet.
“He changed speeds pretty well,” said manager Aaron Boone on Kikuchi. “Was using changeup, cutter, slider, and has enough power on the fastball to make you respect that too. I thought he did a pretty good job of mixing.”
On German, Boone said “I thought he (German) threw the ball really well. The hanging slider to Vlady obviously wasn’t a good pitch, but other than that I thought he threw the ball really well. Even the Bell one, was in the middle of the plate, up though — I think he went where he wanted to go with it; Bell was able to just cheat to it and get to it, and get him. But I thought German threw the ball really well again.”
1. Pitcher’s Duel
Despite the 6-1 loss, this game was a close pitcher’s duel until 2 outs in the 6th. German got off to the inauspicious start allowing the 2-run homer with 1 out in the top of the 1st, but was brilliant after that — retiring 12 in a row at one point.
Until Bell hit the 2-out, 2-run homer in the 6th.
A Swing and a… BELT 😏 #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/6fX7mSRixf
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 22, 2023
German’s line: 6 IP, 4 runs, 6 K’s, 2 walks. He loses to go 1-2 4.50.
2. Oswaldo’s Homer
Oswaldo Carbrera got the only Yankee offense of the evening with his solo homer in the top of the 2nd off Kikuchi.
The Wizard of Oz. pic.twitter.com/vj80A4O0ph
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 21, 2023
Kikuchi went 6 innings, 1 run on 4 hits; 3 K’s, 2 walks.
3. Weissert Hits Guerrero
Greg Weissert hit Vladimir Guerrero Jr.with 2 outs in the 9th on the first pitch — a 92-MPH sinker way inside.
Guerrero stared down Weissert — who didn’t even know it as his back was turned. Anthony Rizzo came down the line to give Guerrero some feedback. But the game resumed and Weissert got the final out.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stares down Greg Weissert after getting hit by a pitch and Anthony Rizzo gets involved pic.twitter.com/08zU6IO8IP
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 22, 2023
“I was trying to make a pitch and I kind of turned around and didn’t really see what he was doing,” said Weissert afterwards. “So I’m kind of standing there and I don’t really know what he was thinking, but I wasn’t obviously trying to hit him.”
Said Boone on the incident: “Much ado about nothing.”
4. Toronto’s Bullpen Does the Rest
The Blue Jay bullpen of Erik Swanson, Trevor Richards, and Yimi Garcia pitched a shutout inning each for the old ballgame.
Etcetera
Besides Oswaldo’s homer the Yanks got only 4 other hits in the game: by Anthony Volpe, Aaron Judge, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Kyle Higashioka.
Anthony Volpe made a terrific defensive play in the 9th at shortstop.
Anthony Volpe with the great defensive play to keep the deficit where it is heading to the bottom of the 9thpic.twitter.com/b77LNQUJ7B
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 22, 2023
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