On this Easter Sunday, the New York Yankees had the rubber game of a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Game 1 was won by the Jays the Yankees took game Game 2. The Yankees started their best pitcher in spring, training Domingo German. The Blue Jays started T.J. Zeuch, who also pitched very well during the spring. After not pitching for an entire year, German showed no rust after his 2019 season when he went 18-4. The Yankees lost this one 3-1.
It was another beautiful day for baseball in the Bronx, sunny approaching 60 degrees during the game. Almost 11,000 fans were in the stands for the game.
German took to the mound shortly after 1:05 pm and faced Marcus Semien. Semien flew out to Hicks. Biggio also flew out to Hicks. Bichette doubled off a ball that bounced off the right-field wall. Hernandez struck out to end the half. Zeuch faced LeMahieu at the bottom, and he flew out to center. Aaron Judge lined out, and Aaron Hicks ground out to second. No score.
German allowed a home run to Guerrero Jr. well into the stands in right-center. Gurriel Jr. single over short. Gurriel Jr. advanced to second on a passed ball. Grichuk hit a homer, driving in two runs. Panik struck out. Kirk walked. Back to the top of the lineup, Semien singled, but Kirk was called out at second. Biggio flew out to Gardner to end the half, but the Jays went up 3 runs.
Starting at the bottom of the first, the Yankees had to climb out of a 3 run deficit. Gleyber Torres ground out to second. Jay Bruce singled to right. Gary Sanchez flew out to left. Clint Frazier struck out, leaving on one base. After two innings, Jays 3 Yankees 0.
At the top of the 3rd, Bo Bichette flew out to Hicks on the warning track. Hernandez flew out to Gardner. Geurrero Jr. singled on a grounder to Torres that Jay Bruce couldn’t catch at first. Gurriel Jr. flew out to center. At the bottom, Gio Urshela lined out to short. Brett Gardner singled past third. LeMahieu singled to right, moving Gardner to second. Two men on with one out. Judge ground into a double play. Jays 3 Yankees 0.
Michael King replaced German at the fourth; he allowed a walk to Grichuk followed by a single to Panik for two on with no outs. Kirk flew out to Frazier; he fired in holding the runners. Semien flew out to Frazier. Baggio reached on catcher interference to load the bases. Bichette ground out to first, leaving the bases loaded. At the bottom, Hicks popped out to right. Torres flew out two the warning track in center. Bruce walked with two outs. Sanchez ground out to end the Yankees’ fourth scoreless inning.
Guerrero Jr. struck out, Gurriel Jr. ground out, and Grichuk ground out for the Yankees’ first fast inning. At the bottom, Frazier got a hustled double as the ball fell in shallow right field. Urshela flew out, but Frazier made it to third. Gardner out, but Frazier scored to get the Yankees on the board. LeMahieu walked. Judge flew out to right, but the Yankees got a manufactured run by Frazier. Jays 3 Yankees 1.
Michael King went 1-2-3 at the top of the sixth, putting down Grichuk, Panik, and Kirk on just four pitches. At the bottom of the inning, Hicks ground out second. Torres doubled off the base of the left-field wall. That hit knocked reliever Thornton out of the game in favor of Borucki. Bruce ground out, but Torres went to third. Sanchez popped out, failing to bring Torres home. Jays 3 Yankees 1.
Semien against King flew out to Gardner. Baggio ground out to short. Bichette also ground out to short. King had pitched four shutout innings. Phelps was on the mound in the bottom facing Frazier, who popped out to first. Urshela struck out. Gardner struck out for a fast inning for both pitchers.
At the top of the eighth, King again returned to the mound struck out Hernandez on three pitches. Guerrero Jr. ground out to second. Gurriel Jr. struck out. King retired 13 Jays in a row. LeMahieu led off the bottom and grounded to short. Judge ground to third. Hick struck out. Jays 3 Yankees 1.
King came back out in the ninth to save the Yankee bullpen for the Baltimore series. Grichuk struck out. Panik ground out. Kirk popped to LeMahieu. King retired 16 Jays in the row; it was the first time in 35 years that a Yankee reliever had pitched six scoreless innings according to Jack Curry. Bruce flew out to left. Gary Sanchez flew out, popped out, and ground out, struck out again, ending the game. Final score Jays 3 Yankees 1. The winning pitcher was Borucki, the loser German, and the save went to Merryweather. The Yankee lost the rubber game; in both losses, the Yankee hitters just didn’t hit.