Field Level Media
Apr 1, 2018
Justin Smoak hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre.
Smoak won a nine-pitch matchup with David Robertson (0-1) by hitting a full-count fastball into the second deck in center field.
He got ahead in the count at 2-0, Robertson then evened the count but Smoak fouled off two breaking balls to stay alive before launching his second career grand slam and first hit in six career at-bats against Robertson.
Smoak's grand slam occurred after the Yankees opted to intentionally walk Josh Donaldson after Robertson put runners at second and third by allowing a single to Russell Martin and a double to Aledmys Diaz.
Smoak also hit a two-run home run in the seventh with nobody out off Tommy Kahnle.
It was the first baseman's seventh career multi-homer game. He also tied a career high with six RBIs for the second time in his career.
Smoak also was the first Blue Jay with six RBIs against the Yankees since Ernie Whitt on Sept. 12, 1987.
Devon Travis added an RBI single for the Blue Jays, who salvaged the split of the series by winning the last two games.
Brandon Drury hit his first home run for the Yankees during a four-run third. Didi Gregorius added an RBI double and Neil Walker contributed a run-scoring single.
After Marcus Stroman allowed four runs and three hits in five innings, four relievers combined on four shutout innings. Tyler Clippard pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win and Seung Hwan Oh pitched the ninth for the save.
New York's Sonny Gray allowed one run on seven hits in four-plus innings but needed 89 pitches.
Gray struck out the side after putting two on in the first inning, but Toronto took a 1-0 lead with two outs in the second on a base hit by Travis, whose hit occurred after right fielder Aaron Judge threw out Russell Martin at the plate.
The Yankees tied the game with two outs in the third when Stanton walked and scored on a double to deep left field by Gregorius. Walker made it 2-1 with a single to left field that easily scored Gregorius.
Drury made it 4-1 by drilling a 0-2 breaking ball over the left field fence.
--Field Level Media