Analysis | Alek Manoah returns to form but Blue Jays get walked-off by Yankees

Here’s what you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 3-2 loss to the Yankees on Saturday afternoon in New York:

The walk-off

The Jays and Yankees were locked in a 2-2 tie when closer Jordan Romano entered in the bottom of the ninth. Yankees slugger Anthony Rizzo nearly ended the game with one swing of the bat, but instead settled for a double off the wall in left field. Pinch-runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa later advanced to third on an infield single and scored the winning run when D.J. LeMahieu hit an RBI single through a drawn-in infield. Romano was charged with his first loss of the season, and it was just the second time in 10 appearances that he has allowed a run.

The unmighty pen

Jays starter Alek Manoah’s seven scoreless innings went to waste in the bottom of the eighth when Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe hit a two-run shot over the wall in right field off setup man Yimi García. Manoah limited the Yankees to a pair of hits while striking out five and departed a scoreless game after having tossed just 85 pitches. García retired the first two batters he faced before Oswald Peraza singled, and Volpe followed with a 364-foot blast for his second of the year. That broke a 0-0 tie, but proved to be just the start of the late-inning drama.

Jano to the rescue

The Jays were three outs away from a loss when Danny Jansen stepped to the plate in the top of the ninth and blasted a pinch-hit homer to left field, his first home run of the year. The timely hit temporarily overshadowed the problems the Jays were having with runners in scoring position. The Jays had multiple baserunners in three innings off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole but could not capitalize, finishing the day 0-for-9 with RISP and stranding eight on base. The lack of execution eventually came back to haunt them.

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