The New York Yankees continued their recent strong performance by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in the Bronx on May 20, with Camilo Doval earning his first save of the year. The victory marked another close contest between the teams, recalling last year’s postseason matchups.
This series has drawn attention from both players and fans due to lingering memories from previous encounters. Jazz Chisholm Jr. said, “We owe you something.”
Ben Rice hit his 16th home run, tying Aaron Judge for the team lead. “That’s what makes baseball fun,” Rice said after the game. “Of course, we’d rather it be a nice 1-2-3, but the reality is, it’s not always going to be that way. When they’re threatening with runners in scoring position, it’s our job to lock it in and stop them.” Ryan McMahon tied the score with a three-run homer in the fourth inning and commented on Rice’s performance: “It’s starting to get to the point where you just kind of expect it from Benny. He’s been locked in. He’s an awesome player, and he’s come through for us big time.” Yankees starter Will Warren pitched five innings and reflected on his outing: “I didn’t execute some pitches, but their M.O. is that they’re super aggressive,” Warren said. “They’re going to put the ball in play. They put the pressure on.” Manager Aaron Boone described Warren as being “a little bit victimized by some balls that found grass.”
With key relievers David Bednar and Fernando Cruz unavailable due to heavy workloads, Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus had to adjust pitching plans late in the game after Boone was ejected following the seventh inning.
Doval faced early trouble in securing his save but managed to close out despite walking Andrés Giménez and allowing a single by Ernie Clement. Doval said through interpreter Marlon Abreu: “I think it’s adrenaline… You transform yourself on the mound. I’m just trying to do my job.” Boone commented about Doval’s ninth-inning effort: “Camilo bent, but he didn’t break,” adding praise for Doval’s poise against tough hitters.
Looking ahead, there may be changes considered for closing roles given Bednar’s inconsistency this season; however, Doval expressed enthusiasm about pitching high-pressure innings for New York: “Coming to the Yankees, I’ve always said that every game feels like a World Series kind of game,” he said. “The energy, the adrenaline; you see the guys, how much they care. That’s contagious. You want to pitch in games like that.”
