Blue Jays continue to assert dominance in American League

Toronto was in fourth place and eight games back July 28, which was also the day the club traded for Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins.

“I think they were probably saying I suck, I think”.

Mark Teixeira drove in the Yankees’ only run with a solo homer in the second inning, his 30th home run of the season.

And with Friday’s game the first of 13 this season between the two old foes, it stands to reason that the torrid Blue Jays hold their fate in their own batting gloves.

“Everybody’s doing their part”.

Now with his third Major League Baseball team, David Price finally did something for the first time. But the reigning AL Cy Young Award victor said he just followed his regular low-key approach (see full recap). A walk to Beltran and a single by Chase Headley in the 7th.

Jennings said, “We won’t put him out there until we know he is 100 percent”.

Those areas of weakness have not only been addressed, but overhauled over the course of the last two weeks. Wearing a different uniform, he looked like a different pitcher against them. Many good hitters and pitchers don’t have ideal mechanics, but they have the mental fortitude to believe in themselves regardless.

Price pounded his left hand into his glove three times after his final toss, retiring Brendan Ryan on a popup to Smoak with runners at the corners.

In this space on July 28th, we noted the timing for the Blue Jays to rally was imperative… 225 when he launched his drive to right-center. The Jays have scored 597 runs, which is nearly 70 more than the New York Yankees, who are second with 529. Other key players for Toronto include former Oakland Athletic Josh Donaldson with 31 homers, and Chris Colabello, who’s hitting.

“It’s pretty cool, especially with all the players and teams that have come through Toronto“, Smoak said. Then he struck out Stephen Drew to end the inning. Excitement continues to build in Toronto, and Jays fans across the city are cautiously awaiting their first postseason since the team’s 1993 World Series run.

The point: The Yankees are about as streaky as it gets, but are often better than they are bad. They have a real big-league left fielder in Revere, who has already made a couple of catches his predecessors never would have, always throws to the right base and doesn’t make anyone sweat out the routine plays. So before the Blue Jays invaded Yankee Stadium, it seemed a little odd to hear the experts predicting a weekend slugfest. If they haven’t won, they’ve had a chance to at least tie it up in the very late going. “They’re a tough group to navigate”. His debut was the Jays’ most expensive home game of the season. He was checked by a trainer and stayed in the game.

Brett Gardner got dinged in the head and the Yankees got blanked again. He’s feeling fine, but hadn’t had much career success vs. Price.

Price went 2-0 with a 0.60 earned-run average and 18 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched in his first two starts with the Jays. LP: Tanaka (8-5).

Fortunes can change in baseball, sometimes without explanation, but the to the naked eye, over the past 12 days the Toronto Blue Jays have burst into the conversation here, there and everywhere.