Blue Jays break out the brooms in shutout win

The Toronto Blue Jays did their best 2015 impression on Wednesday night, shutting out the New York Yankees 7-0 and sweeping their three-game series.

A bases-loaded single from Edwin Encarnacion gave the Blue Jays some breathing room in the seventh, putting them up 4-0. Michael Saunders followed that with an RBI double off the right-field wall before Justin Smoak delivered the dagger with a two-run single.

With Masahiro Tanaka pitching well for the Yankees, both sides were deadlocked until the fifth inning, when Josh Donaldson broke the Jays through with an RBI single.

Aaron Sanchez was excellent, scattering seven hits over six and two-thirds innings of shutout ball. The right-hander struck out six, moving his ERA down to 2.99.

Jason Grilli made his Blue Jays debut and saved the zero in his young starter’s earned run box, forcing a fly ball out with runners on the corners to end the seventh inning.

Gavin Floyd was originally warming for the setup eighth inning, but Aaron Loup took the mound with a large lead. The bullpen’s lone left-hander was very efficient, retiring the side on just nine pitches with one strikeout. Ryan Tepera took the final frame, pitching a clean ninth.

Prior to the game, the Blue Jays optioned left-handed relief pitcher Chad Girodo to triple-A Buffalo, making room for Grilli on the 25-man roster. Manager John Gibbons told reporters that he expects to maintain an eight-man bullpen until the return of Troy Tulowtzki from the disabled list.

R.A. Dickey has been moved up to face David Price in the series opener against the Boston Red Sox on Friday, giving Marcus Stroman an added day of rest.