Looking Back: The Blue Jays Series (4/29/11 - 5/1/11)

The Yankees start the month of May in first place by 2.5 games, thanks in part to having won almost every series they've played so far this season. (The only series they've lost was to the Boston Red Sox, near the start of the season.) They won another series this weekend, taking two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays.

Highlights

1. AJ Burnett pitched well once again, putting a bow on a successful first month of the season. Can he keep it up for the next five months or will he again be Mr April?

2. Ivan Nova pitched into the 7th inning, matching his previous start, the longest outing of his career. He wasn't Super Nova but he made pitches when he had to and that's all that matters.

3. Rafael Soriano bounced back in this series, pitching a scoreless 8th inning in game 2 and again in game 3. Now let's see when he'll pitch a 1-2-3 inning. He hasn't done that since Opening Day.

4. There were 4 more Yankee home runs, 2 by Robinson Cano, and one each by Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson. However, game 2 was won without a home run being hit. See, they can do it!

Lowlights

1. In game 1 the Yankees were 0-8 with  RISP. They had the bases loaded with nobody out in the 5th inning and couldn't score. They were loaded again in the 8th and again no runs crossed the plate. Disgraceful.

2. Also in game 1 reliever David Robertson made a throwing error that led to two Blue Jay runs scoring. Robertson is from tornado-torn Alabama. Perhaps his head wasn't in the game.

Looking Ahead

Next on the schedule: The Detroit Tigers. Losers of 6 straight, the Tigers will be looking to right their ship against the Yankees in a four game series at Comerica Park. The key to this series? Miguel Cabrera. If the Yankees can keep him in the ballpark they'll have a pretty good chance to win this series.