The Yankees didn’t even get 24 hours to enjoy the good vibes in the clubhouse following the much-needed the night before in extra innings. Frankie Montas was shelled in his third start in pinstripes and the Yankees dropped their seventh game in their last 10 in a 9-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Any hope that the carry-over from the monumental win over the Tampa Bay Rays the night before was squashed pretty quickly as Montas gave up five runs in the second inning and the Yankees’ offense was back to struggling to find runs. Facing Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios, who had given up eight runs in his last start, New York struck out nine times and crossed the plate just twice.
Montas, who had been expected to come in at the deadline and bolster the team’s starting rotation, threw six innings and gave up six runs on eight hits and struck out just two. The starter has now surrendered 14 earned runs in 14 innings on the hill for the Yankees since the trade.
The loss to division foe Toronto came on the same night that the AL East’s second-place team, the Rays, picked up a 7-1 win over the Kansas City Royals. The recent struggles have continued to stoak fears that their lead in the division could dwindle further.
New York was held to two or fewer runs for the fifth time in their last eight games.
The Blue Jays attacked Montas and the Yankees early on Thursday night with a five-run second inning. After Montas was able to work his way back after giving up a double in the first, but the Yankees starter found himself giving up a hit to the lead-off batter yet again to start the second.
Matt Chapman doubled later to put runners on second and third and Santiago Espinal was able to drive a run home when he reached on a fielder’s choice to make it 1-0 Toronto. With two outs, Montas walked the No. 9 hitter to bring up the top of the order.
George Springer grabbed his second hit of the night to drive in another run and then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run home run to right field to make it a 5-0 ball game.
The Yankees got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the third when Jose Trevino walked and Estevan Florial was hit by a pitch to start the inning. DJ LeMahieu drove in New York’s first run with an infield bloop hit that was overthrown on the play to first.
Aaron Judge grounded into a force play that allowed the second Yankee run to score and cut the deficit to 5-2.
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After Springer hit a leadoff single in the fifth for the Jays Guerrero Jr. grounded into a forceout at second and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled to move the runner to third. That allowed Alejandro Kirk to drive in Toronto’s sixth run of the night on a double.
The Blue Jays kept their foot on the Yankees’ throat picking up three more runs in the seventh inning. Kirk drove in yet another run on a sacrifice fly and an RBI double by Teoscar Hernandez put two more runs on the board to make it a 9-2 game.
