New York @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2012 ) NY Yankees 11, Toronto 4
Veteran left-hander Andy Pettitte has provided the New York Yankees with a big addition to their starting rotation since returning from the disabled list earlier this month, and the 40-year-old will try to win his third straight start and preserve New York's one-game lead in the American League East when he faces the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The Yankees' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is down to two, but they still have plenty of work to do to put away the Baltimore Orioles in the division race.
The Yankees reignited their offense with 11 runs and a pair of homers Friday after being shut out in the opener of the four-game series. They're just one game behind Texas for the best record in the American League. Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero will try to win back-to-back starts for the first time since April. He held the Yankees to one run over six innings on Sept. 19 but didn't get a decision in a 2-1 loss.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, YES, SN, TVA Sports
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH Andy Pettitte (5-3, 2.71 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Ricky Romero (9-14, 5.76)
Pettitte has been outstanding since coming back from a broken left fibula, posting 11 scoreless innings over his first two starts. Pettitte's return came Sept. 19 against Toronto, and he allowed just four hits and two walks in five innings. He scattered seven hits over six scoreless frames last time out at Minnesota. Pettitte is 22-12 with a 4.09 ERA in 43 games (42 starts) against Toronto.
Romero had lost 13 straight decisions dating to June 22 before getting the win last time out at Baltimore. He didn't pitch especially well, allowing four runs on eight hits in five innings, but got plenty of support in a 9-5 victory. Romero is 3-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 14 starts against the Yankees, including an 0-3 mark and a 4.15 ERA in four outings this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Yankees have nine players with 15 or more home runs, tying the 2005 Indians and 2005 Rangers for the most ever. OF Andruw Jones is sitting on 14 homers but has started just once in the past two weeks and is hitting .146 (15-for-103) since the All-Star break.
2. Blue Jays INF Adeiny Hechavarria is riding a nine-game hitting streak but has not played in the first two games of the series.
3. Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira (calf strain) is expected to play five innings in an instructional league game Saturday and could return early next week against Boston. Teixeira has not played since Sept. 8 and has played just one game since Aug. 27.