NEW YORK (AP) – Michael King escaped from stocked bases and out-of-court jam created by Aroldis Chapman to keep the New York Yankees 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night after Luis Severino became the first pitcher to wipe out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. three times.
Guerrero hit a total of four times for the first time in his career, one night after hitting three homers and getting 4 for 4.
Leading 3-0, Chapman threw just four of 16 pitches. He passed the last three batteries in the Toronto line-up: Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal and striker Matt Champman.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone removed Chapman in favor of King, a 26-year-old right-hander.
At the first opportunity to save his career in the major leagues, King hit George Springer on three pitches, throwing a quick ball for a third shot.
With Guerrero on the deck circle, Bo Bichette suffered a convulsive punch, then hit a soft line to second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who threw to first to double Matt Chapman for the final out. The Yankees eliminated Toronto for the second time in four games.
Severino (1-0) conceded two goals in five innings, hit six and came out two. Lucas Luetge, Miguel Castro, Clay Holmes and Chad Green followed before the drama in the ninth inning.
After a 95-minute delay with rain, Severino won his first victory as a starter on September 22, 2019, also against Toronto. He threw 83 pitches, 18 more than his season debut on Saturday against Boston and he averaged 97.4 miles per hour for 33 quick balls.
Jose Trevino hit an RBI single in the third and fifth innings against Kevin Gaussman (0-1), and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa also had three goals and scored in Trevino’s goals. The No. 8-9 strikers from New York came in 4 against 43 with one RBI.
Giancarlo Stanton added an RBI groundout in the eighth.
Guerrero struck in the first in the substitution, suffered a called third knife blow in the outer corner in the third and made another change to Severino in the fifth. He pulled the slider from Holmes, opening the eighth.
Gaussman conceded two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He hit nine and none left.
COACH ROOM
Blue Jays: OF Teoscar Hernandez has been placed on the 10-day IL with a left-handed tension and manager Charlie Montoyo is optimistic that there will be a short absence. Hernandez was injured in Wednesday’s sixth inning. ? RHP Ryan Boruki (tense right hamstring) will throw an inning in a simulated game at the Dunedin Spring Training Complex on Friday. ? INF Gosuke Katoh was withdrawn from Triple-A Buffalo to replace Hernandez
NEXT
Blue Jays: RHP Ross Stripling (0-0, 9.00 ERA) will start against Athletics RHP Daulton Jefferies (1-0, 0.00 ERA) on Friday night in Toronto.
Yankees: LHP Jordan Montgomery (0-0, 8.10 ERA) will start against Orioles RHP Jordan Lyles (0-1, 9.00 ERA) on Friday night in Baltimore. Montgomery knocked the returnee 103 mph off his left knee by Xander Bogaerts of Boston on Sunday.
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