After losing the first game, the New York Yankees demolished the Blue Jays at home in Toronto on Tuesday night.
Marcus Thames, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson, and Mark Teixeira all homered in the affair.
Wednesday night’s game determines the series; both teams want to win but are on very different paths.
The Blue Jays have a chip on their shoulder. My guess is because Toronto resides in the AL East, which diminishes any hopes at a playoff berth.
This season the Blue Jays are legitimate. Proof is in their record, which is 16-4 over their last 20 games vs. the AL East teams. It must be frustrating.
So, making it harder, for the teams like the Yankees must be a distant second.
The Yankees are fighting to get in the playoffs, to defend their title and that takes winning inter-division series. In an important game, having Phil Hughes is on the mound is an advantage.
Hughes is settled in again, after the stress of the “Hughes Rules” seemed to simmer down. Thus far, Hughes’ 2010 totals are a solid 15-5 record, pitching for 140.0-plus innings, with 116 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.90.
In his last start, Hughes earned his 15th win of 23 starts against the Detroit Tigers. A first inning home run to Miguel Cabrera, who is the best hitter in baseball, was the only bump. Hughes struck out six, walked zero and went six innings.
Blue Jays send youngster Brett Cecil to square off against Hughes. Cecil is a strong throwing lefty with a 10-6 record over 131-plus innings. Cecil has struck out 95 batters and has an ERA of 3.90.
Cecil has faced the Yankees twice this season and has a 1-1 record, with an ERA of 1.29.
Prediction
This is a close call.
Hughes has to locate perfectly against a Blue Jays line-up that features seven bats with 13-plus home runs.
Cecil has killed AL East opponents in 2010, posting a 2.13 ERA and a 6-1 record over eight starts.
Both pitchers will get a no-decision, but the Yankees will the win 4-2 and take the series.
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