With a two run lead and one out to go in the top of the ninth, the Yankees still couldn't pull out a win last night against the Blue Jays. Colby Rasmus hit a three-run homer off Rafael Soriano with two outs in the ninth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays took advantage of Derek Lowe's wild pickoff throw in the 11th to beat the New York Yankees 8-7 Monday night, snapping a seven-game losing streak. Moments after Rasmus' stunning drive put Toronto ahead 7-6, Derek Jeter tied it with a home run off Casey Janssen. But the last-place Blue Jays didn't cave, scratching out a run two innings later to stop an eight-game slide at Yankee Stadium.
Daisuke Matsuzaka worked seven innings of Boston's 5-1 victory over Kansas City. Cody Ross had three RBIs and Jacoby Ellsbury homered to support Matsuzaka, who allowed an unearned run and five hits in his first appearance since early July. Matsuzaka had been on the disabled list with a strained neck muscle. The Red Sox have placed designated hitter David Ortiz back on the 15-day disabled due to lingering problems with a strained right Achilles.
In the National League the Mets were off but Josh Beckett fresh off a nine-player trade from the Red Sox couldn’t quite hold his own in the NL with the Dodgers. Pitching for the first time with his new team Beckett gave up a homer to Tyler Colvin on his second pitch of the Dodgers' 10-0 loss at Colorado. Beckett surrendered three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Yanks try again against Toronto tonight, the Red Sox start a series with the Angels, and the Mets and the Phillies square off tonight in Philadelphia.
The Jets, perhaps desperate to cover their offensive disappointments in the preseason with defensive news, are making some moves though the promise of which is still unclear. The Jets and Rams have swapped disappointing right tackles, with St. Louis receiving Wayne Hunter for Jason Smith. Both players had lost their starting spots in preseason play.
The Patriots have released wide receivers Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney and Buffalo has cut quarterback Vince Young as teams race to get to the 75-man roster list by the deadline next Monday.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press