WATCH: After a brutal winter Jays fans were eager to welcome back the boys of summer. Peter Kim reports
TORONTO – Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka scattered six hits over seven innings to win his major-league debut 7-3 and help the New York Yankees spoil the Blue Jays’ home opener Friday night.
The US$175-million man struck out eight after an early wobble and did not walk a batter while giving up three runs, only two of which were earned. Tanaka (1-0) threw 97 pitches including 65 strikes in a promising debut.
Jays leadoff hitter Melky Cabrera welcomed Tanaka to the majors with a home run to right field on his third delivery. Not helped by his defence, the right-hander gave up two more in the second.
Still the 25-year-old managed four strikeouts in the first two innings and soon settled down, efficiently mowing down Blue Jays while quieting the sellout Rogers Centre crowd of 48,197. After the Jays got their runs in the second, he retired 11 of 12 and faced the minimum batters in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh before calling it a night with a 5-3 lead.
New York (2-2) had 16 hits to six for Toronto (2-3), which used six pitchers on the night. The Yankees could have scored more but left 11 men on base.
Toronto starter Dustin McGowan (0-1) gave up four earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk in just 2 2/3 innings, leaving another question-mark over the Jays’ starting pitching.
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