Field Level Media
Apr 20, 2018
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. experienced a memorable major league debut Friday night when he drove in three runs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 8-5 at Yankee Stadium.
Gurriel, Toronto's fifth-best prospect, according to Baseball America, was recalled before the game and started at second base.
The Cuban infielder produced a two-run single in the fourth off Sonny Gray and a two-strike single in the fifth off Domingo German (0-1) after batting .347 (17-for-49) in 12 games with Double-A New Hampshire. Gurriel is the younger brother of Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel.
Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run homer and Yangervis Solarte added a solo homer for Toronto, which won for the eighth time in 10 games.
Hernandez drove in a third run with a bases-loaded walk while Kendrys Morales contributed an RBI double after coming off the disabled list before the game.
Giancarlo Stanton and Tyler Austin hit two-run homers for the Yankees (9-9), who are back at .500 for the seventh time this season. Stanton's homer ended a drought of 50 at-bats without connecting.
Miguel Andujar added a solo homer for the Yankees, who had two at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Marco Estrada (2-1) remained unbeaten at Yankee Stadium despite allowing five runs and seven hits in five innings. He improved to 4-0 in New York in his first start in nine days.
Four relievers followed with four scoreless innings, and Roberto Osuna notched his sixth save.
Gray allowed five runs on five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings after talking about adjustments to his delivery earlier this week.
The Yankees took a 2-0 lead on Austin's third homer of the season with one out in the second, but Toronto tied it when Hernandez lifted a 1-1 fastball over the left-center field fence with one out in the third.
New York regained the lead when Stanton sent a 0-1 fastball 375 feet into the right field seats, but Gray gave it right back.
Morales made it a one-run game on a double that just stayed in fair territory near the line in left field. Toronto took a 5-4 lead when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. lined a single up the middle. Following a walk to Curtis Granderson, Gray walked off the mound to boos from the home fans.
Andujar's second homer with two outs in the fourth tied the game, but Gurriel's second hit made it 6-5 and Hernandez drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a two-run game.
Toronto added its final run when Solarte homered into the right-center field seats to start the sixth against Adam Warren.
--Field Level Media