First-Place Yankees Beat Blue Jays, 6-1, to Increase Lead

The New York Yankees got their revenge on the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Yankees, who lost three straight games to the the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium in early June, got even Wednesday by defeating the Blue Jays, 6-1, in 12 innings to complete a three-game sweep at Toronto.

Wayne Tolleson singled in Claudell Washington from third base to spark a five-run 12th that sparked the Yankees’ victory.

“We came up here to show Toronto and ourselves that we’re a better ballclub than we were in New York,” said Tolleson. “That series was very close to being embarrassing.”

The first-place Yankees, who moved three games ahead of the second place Blue Jays in the American League East, have won 12 of 16 since the Blue Jays swept the three-game series in New York.

“It’s nice to get them back,” said the Yankees’ Don Mattingly, who missed the three games in New York with an injury. “Revenge is a word you could use. They embarrassed us. They just came in and beat up on us.”

Claudell Washington opened the 12th with a single off Jeff Musselman, 6-2. Back-to-back bunts by Mark Salas and Paul Zuvella put runners on second and third and Tolleson then singled to right to score Washington and chase Musselman.

Jose Nunez came in and walked Rickey Henderson and Mike Pagliarulo to force home Salas before being replaced by Gary Lavelle. Don Mattingly singled to score Tolleson but Henderson was thrown out at the plate.

Lavelle then issued a walk to Dave Winfield to re-load the bases. Gary Ward grounded to third and Kelly Gruber, attempting to force Winfield at second, threw the ball into right field, allowing Mattingly and Pagliarulo to score. Washington grounded out to end the inning in which the Yankees sent 10 batters to the plate.

The victory made a winner of Pat Clements, 2-0, who worked four shutout innings. Tim Stoddard pitched the 12th.

“It’s pretty obvious today we had a lot of wasted opportunities,” said the Blue Jays’ Lloyd Moseby. “If we had won two-of-three in this series, we would have been heroes. The season’s not over for us. If it was, I’d be packing up and going fishing.”

Toronto tied the score at 1-1 on Kelly Gruber’s sacrifice fly in the eighth. Rich Bordi started the inning in relief of Tommy John, who blanked the Blue Jays on four singles through the first seven innings. Bordi was greeted by George Bell’s double to left-center and Bell moved to third on a wild pitch by Pat Clements, who replaced Bordi. With one out, Gruber lifted a fly to center field to score Bell.

New York took a 1-0 lead in the eighth. Tolleson led off with a single off starter Jimmy Key and advanced to second when Henderson chopped a single back to Key. Mike Pagliarulo’s sacrifice bunt advanced the runners and Mattingly drew an intentional walk to load the bases.

Winfield then bounced a single through the left side of the infield to score Tolleson. Tom Henke relieved and on his first pitch induced Gary Ward to bounce into a double play.

The Blue Jays threatened in the bottom of the 10th. Clements walked leadoff batter Jesse Barfield and Bell singled him to third. Bell was thrown out on Rance Mulliniks’ fielder’s choice as Barfield took third. Barfield was then thrown out at home on Gruber’s fielder’s choice grounder, leaving runners on first and second. But Clements struck out Willie Upshaw to end the inning.

The game was played before a sellout Canada Day crowd of 47,828--the largest home crowd in the Blue Jays’ 11-year history.