MLB: Bombers Bomb Jays With Milestone Home Runs

The New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 9-4 on Saturday afternoon.

Darrell Rasner pitched for New York today. Rasner went five innings, gave up four runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out six.

Jesse Litsch started for the Jays and got rocked. Litsch went a meager 2.2 innings, gave up eight runs (only three of them earned) on seven hits, walked one and struck out three.

The Yankees got started right away in the top of the first, getting a lead-off, solo home run from Derek Jeter. This was Jeter's fifth big fly of the year, and 200th of his career.

The Blue Jays would answer right back in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs. Marco Scutaro had an RBI, and Adam Lind drove in three with a bases-clearing triple.

With the score at 4-1 in the top of the second, the Yankees wasted no time scoring runs. They scored a total of seven runs in the second and third innings while sending 16 batters to the plate. The Yanks got offensive contributions from Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Brett Gardner.

In the top of the fourth, the Yankees had a 8-4 lead. Rodriguez led off the inning with a solo homer, his 19th of the season, and 537th of his career. With his homer, Rodriguez passes Mickey Mantle on baseball's all-time home runs list, and now sits alone in 13th place.

Toronto failed to mount any more offense as the Yankee bullpen rolled over them. Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, Kyle Farnsworth, and LaTroy Hawkins went a combined four innings, gave up no runs on no hits, walked one, and struck out three.

With the win, Rasner improves to 5-7 on the campaign.

Litsch took the loss and falls to 8-6.

The rubber game will be played at 1:07 ET tomorrow afternoon. In the last game before the All-Star break and game at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees will give the ball to Andy Pettitte (10-6, 3.93 ERA). The Jays will start A.J. Burnett (9-8, 5.23 ERA).