Yankees’ offensive slumber continues in 4-1 loss to Blue Jays

The Yankees’ offense continued its sleepwalk of late, mustering just four hits in their 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon in Toronto.

New York’s only offense came in the second inning with Spencer Jones, who led off with a single, stole second and scored on a George Lombard Jr. single. Against the Blue Jays’ bullpen game, seven Toronto pitchers allowed just four hits and walked two batters while striking out nine batters.

The Yankees have now lost three games in a row while being outscored, 8-2.

Here are the takeaways…

–Cam Schlittler worked in and out of trouble in the first inning, but couldn’t in the third. After a walk and a single with one out, Alejandro Kirk tied the game with an RBI single. He now has three RBI in two games this series. Schlittler held the line. He’d keep the Blue Jays offense in check until the sixth, when a one-out walk and single forced Aaron Boone to pull his ace.

Brent Headrick came in and got the next two outs (strikeout, groundout) to end Toronto’s threat and put a bow on Schlittler’s day. The right-hander tossed 97 pitches (56 strikes), allowing one run in 5.1 innings, on four hits and three walks while striking out seven batters.

Saturday was Schlittler’s 13th road game with five-plus innings pitched and one or fewer earned runs allowed. That’s the second most in a season by any AL pitcher.

-Headrick came out for a second inning of work, but gave up a leadoff single to Ernie Clement and then Charles McAdoo — starting at first base after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was placed on the IL (concussion) following Friday’s game — lined a double off the wall in left-center field to give the Blue Jays the 2-1 lead. A bunt single and a failed safety squeeze later, and Headrick was pulled.

Paul Blackburn came on and intentionally walked Kirk to load the bases. Blackburn struck out Myles Straw before getting Kazuma Okamoto to line out to right field.

Tim Hill was not effective in the eighth. A single, a hit-by-pitch and a single loaded the bases with no outs. McAdoo singled to put the Jays up 3-1. Hill would record two outs (a flyout and a groundout), but another run would come across home plate. Yerry De Los Santos came on and, after intentionally walking Kirk again, recorded the final out of the inning as the Yankees entered the ninth down three runs.

–Louis Varland mowed down the Yankees for the second night in a row, striking out Ben Rice (0-4 on the day), Heliot Ramos (0-4) and Luis Garcia Jr. (1-4) to end the game.

Game MVP: Charles McAdoo

McAdoo pushed across two of the Jays’ four runs, which was more than enough.

Highlights