Bobby Abreu singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, as the Yankees rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the rubber match of a season-opening three-game series.
Abreu had two of the six hits for the Yankees, who came back from a 2-0 deficit and won with spectacular relief from the tandem of Billy Traber, Brian Bruney, Joba Chamberlain (1-0) and Mariano Rivera.
David Eckstein went 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored for the Blue Jays, who left the potential tying run stranded at third base in the ninth.
Toronto’s Dustin McGowan gave up four hits and two runs over six innings, while Phil Hughes had a similar line in his start for New York.
Melky Cabrera singled to right field to start the New York eighth, and Scott Downs then replaced Brian Wolfe (0-1) on the mound for the Blue Jays. Johnny Damon put down a sacrifice bunt, but Downs bobbled the ball along the first base side, and both runners were safe. Derek Jeter then put down a sacrifice bunt before Abreu blooped a base hit in front of center fielder Vernon Wells.
The Yankees could’ve had more runs after Jason Giambi was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs, but Robinson Cano flied out to end the inning.
Rivera, who also had the save in Tuesday’s 3-2 Yankees victory, allowed a single to Wells to start the ninth. Groundouts from Shannon Stewart and Lyle Overbay moved the potential tying run 90 feet from home plate, but Rivera froze Aaron Hill on a called third strike to end the game and get the save.
Eckstein doubled to lead off the fourth and scored an out later on an Alex Rios single to center. The Yankees stranded a runner at third in their half of the fourth, and it became 2-0 the next inning. Marco Scutaro walked with two outs and Gregg Zaun doubled before Eckstein’s infield hit widened Toronto’s lead.
The Yankees loaded the bases with nobody out and tied the game in the sixth. Damon doubled and Jeter was hit by a pitch on his left arm. Abreu then walked and Damon scored on a wild pitch by McGowan. After Alex Rodriguez struck out, Giambi hit a sac fly to right. The throw home by Rios was cut off and Abreu was thrown out trying to go to third.
Traber struck out the only batter he faced in the seventh and Bruney retired the next two batters before Chamberlain worked around a two-out single to Matt Stairs in the eighth to keep the game tied.
Game Notes
Rios extended his hit streak versus the Yankees to 23 games, dating back to the 2006 season…The Blue Jays will play their home opener on Friday against Boston in the opener of a three-game series, while the Yankees host Tampa Bay for four games, from this Friday to Monday…Blue Jays designated hitter Frank Thomas was ejected by home plate umpire Bill Miller after arguing a called third strike to end the top of the fourth.
Tags: baseball, blue jays, Bobby Abreu, mlb, new york yankees, sports scores, toronto, toronto blue jays, yanks, Yanks edge Blue Jays behind Abreu's RBI single in 8th
