Yankees nick Dickey for a run, edge Blue Jays 1-0
NEW YORK (AP) - In a tight game, a couple of knuckleballs that floated out of the strike zone cost R.A. Dickey.
He walked consecutive batters in the fourth inning and rookie Aaron Judge followed with an RBI double for the only run Monday night in the Toronto Blue Jays' 1-0 loss to the New York Yankees.
"I felt like I pitched pretty well. The only real trouble I got into was couple of walks, really," Dickey said.
"I felt as strong as I have ever felt with the ball in my hand. The last three or four months felt like I've always been just a click away from turning out really good outings. It was unfortunate tonight that I gave up the run," he said.
Chad Green struck out 11 in six dominant innings. Dellin Betances escaped a big ninth-inning jam, getting major league RBI leader Edwin Encarnacion to ground into a game-ending, around-the-horn double play with runners at the corners.
The Yankees won for the fifth time in six games, taking the first 1-0 decision between the teams since 2005. They dropped Toronto percentage points out of first place in the AL East and pulled within 5 1/2 games of new division leader Baltimore.
Promoted earlier in the day from Triple-A for his fifth stint of the season with the Yankees, Green (2-2) was in complete control. He gave up two hits, walked none and outpitched Dickey (8-13).
Dickey left after five innings, striking out six but walking four. He has won one of his last six starts.
"Anytime you don't score for your starting pitcher, especially in a situation like that, R.A., a couple of times, got out of a couple of big jams for us," Toronto catcher Josh Thole said. "Those are the innings where you try to turn the momentum."
Tyler Clippard, Adam Warren and Betances combined for scoreless relief. Betances held on for his fifth save as the Yankees stopped a five-game losing streak to Toronto.
Green retired the first 13 batters, with just one ball hit out of the infield. After Troy Tulowitzki singled and Darrell Ceciliani doubled with one out in the fifth, the 25-year-old rookie fanned his final hitters.
Green twice struck out reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson. The right-hander fanned him with his 104th and final pitch, a 96 mph heater, and Donaldson flung his bat toward the Toronto dugout.
Judge homered in his first two big league games over the weekend, and drove in the only run this time. He became the first Yankees player with an extra-base hit and RBI in his first three career games since the RBI became an official stat in 1920, ESPN Stats & Info said.
SLUMPING
Justin Smoak and Melvin Upton Jr. struck out with runners on second and third to end the fifth. Smoak is 0 for 28 with runners in scoring position since mid-June.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: OF Ezequiel Carrera (Achilles) could come off the 15-DL Tuesday night.
Umpire: Plate ump Hunter Wendelstedt was hit by a foul tip from Brian McCann of the Yankees leading off the second inning. Wendelstedt stayed in for the rest of the inning, then left for the night. The game continued with three umpires.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (7-5, 2.95) hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of his previous 13 starts. He has allowed just one home run over his last four outings.
Yankees: RHP Michael Pineda (6-10, 5.07) has won three of his last five starts. Before that stretch, he had won only three of his first 18 starts.