Tellez, McKinney homer to lead Blue Jays past Yankees

Rowdy Tellez belted a two-run home run to help the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees in Grapefruit League action on Sunday. Photo: Jay Blue (file photo)

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

While starter Matt Shoemaker was touched up for two runs in three innings by the Yankees, the rest of the pitching staff held firm and the Blue Jays' bats rallied on the backs of home runs by Billy McKinney and Rowdy Tellez to come away with a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees at Dunedin Stadium on Sunday.

Shoemaker gave up a solo home run in the second and got into trouble in the third, giving up a run before he left two baserunners on for San Gaviglio who got a line drive to shortstop to finish the inning. Not all was bad for Shoemaker who struck out five, giving up two runs on two hits with a walk.

Gaviglio allowed just one base runner on an error by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) but struck out two over 2 1/3 innings of action. Ken Giles walked one and hit a batter but struck out three batters in the sixth while Ryan Tepera walked one and struck out one in the seventh. John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) gave up a hit in the eighth but got a double play from the next batter and finished his inning by facing the minimum. Tim Mayza allowed a hit but finished the game with a strikeout to earn his first save of the spring.

On the offence, Rowdy Tellez's two-run home run in the sixth inning was the winner for the Jays, giving them a 3-2 lead at the time. Tellez was 1/3 as was Billy McKinney who hit a solo home run in the third. Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) and Lourdes Gurriel were each 1/3, as was Freddy Galvis. Teoscar Hernandez was 2/3 iwth a run while Eric Sogard gave the Jays some insurance in the seventh with a sac fly.

The Blue Jays are off on Monday but get back into action on Tuesday in Lakeland against the Tigers.

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