The New York Yankees own 10 straight wins. Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah is rolling as well as any pitcher in baseball.
To keep its streak alive, New York will face a tough challenge when it opposes Manoah, who will aim for a ninth straight victory Tuesday night when the American League East foes continue a three-game series in Toronto.
New York opened the series with a 3-2 victory on Monday night when Gleyber Torres hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth off Yimi Garcia after hitting a two-run homer off Ross Stripling in the fourth. Torres is hitting .344 (11-for-32) with two homers and 10 RBIs over his past 10 games.
“We didn’t generate a ton offensively, but obviously a big night for Gleyber — a homer and a clutch hit with two outs,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I don’t know where it ranks; that’s a good win against a really good team.”
New York is on a double-digit winning streak for the second straight season, and its 17-6 start is the team’s best since 2003 and a 19-4 record. One of the Yankees’ losses was to Manoah, who struck out seven in six innings during a 3-0 win April 11.
Manoah is 8-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his past eight starts since getting a no-decision against the Yankees Sept. 8 at Yankee Stadium.
Toronto also has won Manoah’s past 12 starts, tying the second-longest streak in team history with Jimmy Key (1987) and J.A. Happ (2016) and two shy of Roy Halladay’s 2003 record. His eight-start winning streak is tied with Roger Clemens (1997) for the second-longest in team history and is three away from Halladay’s 2003 mark.
Manoah continued to deliver stellar performances Thursday when he allowed three hits in seven innings of a 1-0 win over the Boston Red Sox.
“He doesn’t surprise me anymore,” Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. “That’s what he’s been doing. That’s who he is.”
Manoah has pitched in three straight one-run games since his 3-0 win over the Yankees. Before facing Boston, he pitched in a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics and a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros.
“I’m just going out there and doing my job. I’m not even looking at the scoreboard,” Manoah said.
The Blue Jays are 20-4 in Manoah’s 24 career starts, including his major-league debut in New York on May 27 when he pitched six scoreless innings of two-hit ball in a 2-0 win.
The Blue Jays are 9-4 in their past 13 games and hope to back Manoah with a better showing at the plate. Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman hit RBI singles in the fourth inning, but Toronto hit into three double plays and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Right-hander Jameson Taillon (1-1, 3.26 ERA), who has allowed two earned runs or less in each start this season, will go for the Yankees. He last pitched in a 10-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday when he allowed two runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision.
Taillon is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA in five career starts against the Blue Jays. He opposed Manoah April 11 and allowed two runs on five hits in five innings.
–Field Level Media